Undiscovered Power
by Raphaella
Summary: Sequel to Radical Transformation - Robberies are still occuring, and after something is stolen from a museum, the guys investiagte straight away to find out why it is so important; and find something else ... Completed
1. They Got It

Undiscovered Power  
  
I figured since y'all loved the first one, I'd come back with a sequel, and the last was left with a cruel ending, so I had to make up for that. This is four months later, after Radical Transformation . . .  
  
~  
  
"There is no relation or pattern to these strange robberies which are occurring all over the City, and have been for at least five months. The police are asking citizens for any information about these criminals, and so far, thanks to the keen eyes of the public, we have been able to certify that six of these lawbreakers are male, and one female. Their targets have mostly been antique stores, taking a few of the smallest, but most valuable items while leaving the rest. And still, no one has any ideas of the location these crooks can be hiding. The police are constantly on the lookout for anything unusual, checking abandoned buildings and around the docks, generally where the most disturbances are reported. And in a last bit of advice to the anything-old and antique collectors, lock your possessions up safely and please, be on your guard; this is April O'Neil, Channel 3 News."  
  
The Television clicked off.  
  
"Anybody present who has something worth locking up, do so now," Mikey said, dropping the remote on the cushion he was sitting on as he was getting up off the couch. He walked over to the kitchen area where the smell of pizza was located. "Guess I oughtta go lock myself up, eh? Heh."  
  
"Please do," Raph said from his seat on the armchair opposite Splinter's. His feet dangled over the chair arm while the top half of his shell lent against the other, stretched out length-ways. "Just give us the key."  
  
Leo and Donny chuckled from their seats on the couch. Donny had a bowl of popcorn on his knee, in his own dish, which Mikey had painted to say 'Don-Don' in purple paint, underlined with a wobbly, but distinctive brown- painted Bo Staff.  
  
"These have gotta be some pretty nifty crooks if they can escape the eyes of the public," Leo said, standing up. The muscle in his upper leg tightened visibly as he stood. Any small movement could be seen in the soft, flickering light of the twelve candles situated on top of the TV and the small table next to Splinter's chair. At the minute there was a problem with the circuitry of the lighting, since the old abandoned subway sewer was in need of a few repairs. Donny had taken a break to watch a film they had just finished, and then they had just caught April's six O'clock news report. The kitchen, fortunately for Mikey, had it's own battery powered light, and this was switched on at the minute to give the added light to the dark sub way. Also it helped Mikey make his pizza.  
  
"Okay Don, back to work," Raph said, a small branch of grapes in his hand, from which he was picking them off, throwing them up and into his mouth.  
  
Donny sighed. "It doesn't pay to be a genius." He stood up, dumped his bowl of popcorn in Leo's hands and disappeared up the steps into the darkness where the electricity board was.  
  
Next they heard a rustle of clothes and a familiar voice call 'whoa!' near the ladder.  
  
"Oh, sorry Casey," Donny's voice apologized.  
  
"Why's it so dark?" Casey asked. His footsteps could be heard tapping on each step as he walked down the stairs. He emerged from the darkness a second later.  
  
"Lighting failure," Leo shrugged, putting the 'Don-Don' bowl on the couch where Donny had been sat.  
  
"Hey Casey - just in time for some pie!" Mikey called from the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, great," Casey muttered and then turned to Leo and Raph. "It's bust-some-heads mood, and I'm betting one night out and we c'n find out more about these crooks than the cops have."  
  
"I'm in," Raph exclaimed, swinging himself off the chair arm and standing up.  
  
"Guys, it's still light outside," Leo pointed out.  
  
"Yeah well if we go see a movie, it'll be dark by the time it finishes," Raph said.  
  
Leo sighed and rolled his eyes as Raph and Casey disappeared into the darkness and up the stairs, making their way blindly to the coat rack where Raph geared himself up.  
  
Just then a quick, small but bright blue light lit up the power board and the turtle near it, throwing the bottom of the ladder into light.  
  
"Ow!" Donny yelped as it buzzed, and the darkness returned. He picked his flashlight back up, clicked it on, looked at the beam of light, shrugged and continued to work. Leo rolled his eyes again as Mikey chuckled in the kitchen. Raph and Casey disappeared up the ladder. Leo turned around when he heard a soft sigh.  
  
"Donatello is fixing the lighting, I assume?" Splinter spoke. The flickering candlelight danced over his face, making his whiskers stand out.  
  
"Yeah," Leo replied.  
  
"Where is Raphael?"  
  
"He and Casey have gone back to 'head-busting', Sensei."  
  
"Hey dudes, pizza's up!" Mikey called, bringing the large pie to the table behind the chair Raph had been sitting in. "Yo - Don-nay! Pizza!"  
  
"Can't - working," came the reply.  
  
"Your loss dude," Mikey shrugged. "More for me." He grabbed a slice. It steamed, and the cheese stretched from Mikey's slice to the remaining pizza. Mikey inhaled the aroma. "Ahhhh . .." he sighed, smiling. "Peetz - za."  
  
"Uh, I guess I can eat while I work," Donny's voice floated out of the dark. "Bring me a slice, Mike."  
  
Mikey grinned and picked up another pizza triangle. He walked into the darkness up the stairs, making his way to the small circle of light that came from Donny's flashlight.  
  
()()()()  
  
When the movie ended two hours later, the people streamed out of the cinema into the dark night; talking about the film they had just seen. Two people exited the building in silence, and didn't talk until they had rounded the corner.  
  
"Man that was boring," Raph complained. His face was in shadows under the hat he wore, but his eyes glinted in the moonlight.  
  
"But now comes the good parts," Casey said, referring to their night of head busting.  
  
"Yeah, let's get goin'."  
  
They took off at a small jog, making their way to the neighborhoods that are known to have rough gangs. They had not done any fighting with street vermin for a while. This was the first time in months, and both were glad they could get out and knock some scum down. All the pent up energy was bursting to get out, and both of them were happy to let it.  
  
Their night didn't really get started until three hours after they had prowled the bad neighborhoods and made a bet on who could knock down more. They encountered a good dose of opponents; one large gang was a particular challenge, but the remaining punks standing scampered quickly. The rest they met were just small groups, or loners with smarmy personalities and big knives. There was no sign of the chosen target - the crooks who had been stealing antique items. That was, until three hours of beating up pests.  
  
"Looks like my count beats yours," Casey said complacently, marking a tally chart he had drawn on the wall by adding another line to his column with one of Raph's Sais.  
  
Raph made a 'pft' sound. "I guess you didn't see me take on more than half the gang while you were dancing with the runts." He spun around and threw his Sai at the wall. It embedded itself an inch into the solid brick, dead in the center of the circle of the 'R' that stood for his name on the tally.  
  
Casey, who hadn't moved, raised an eyebrow slightly and pulled the Sai out.  
  
"More than half?" Casey shook his head. "We should keep a better count. Then we'd know for sure who's buying the next pizza."  
  
"Well I know who's buying tonight's pizza," Raph smiled under his fedora.  
  
"Huh, you're just lucky I'm feeling generous," Casey said, handing back his friend's weapons.  
  
They both turned and started to walk down the alleyway they were in to the street beyond, in the direction of a good pizzeria - but a scream pierced the night air, and they both glanced at each other before turning back and dashing down the dark street behind them. They ran down the road, and rounded the corner across the street. They noticed at once the window to a shop was smashed up, and they could hear hurried, hushed voices inside.  
  
They both leaped through the window, and Casey landed on someone dressed in black clothing, and a gun in his hand. He grabbed the gun hand as it was pointed at his face and wrestled it away.  
  
Raph saw that there were rows of shelves and glass cases holding antiques, and there were five other black clothed figures staring surprised at him and Casey from the back of the room. Two of them had knives and were holding them up in front of a man and a woman dressed in nightwear; the other three had brown sacs and appeared to have been filling them with the items on the shelves before Raph and Casey burst in.  
  
"Get them!" One of the black clothed figures yelled, holding the knife in front of the storeowner. The voice had been that of a woman.  
  
Three of them dropped their sacs and two ran at Raph while the third ran over to help his now pulp-fated comrade. Casey now had possession of the gun, but he looked at it disgustedly, locked the safety on and threw it away. He stood up just in time to catch the fist that was aiming for his face, and deliver his own.  
  
The two crooks who had the knives grabbed the three sacs from the floor after seeing the way their pals were getting their asses kicked, and shouted out a retreat before disappearing into the back of the store, and taking the back door. The two owners looked relieved they were no longer being held at knifepoint, but when Raph's hat was kicked off, revealing his green face, they didn't feel so relived. Shoulders dropped, mouths opened and they dashed into another doorway, probably to call the police.  
  
One of the two that were fighting Raph managed to detach himself from the brawl and ran to the back of the store and out the door the knife- wielding crooks went. He was followed shortly by one of Casey's bruised and battered opponents.  
  
The other one fighting Casey was thrown to the floor. He caught sight of the gun and picked it up. Casey stopped in his tracks when the gun was aimed at him. The dude with the gun slowly backed up and switched from aiming it at Casey to aiming it at Raph, who's last opponent ran through the escape door.  
  
"Isn't this the part where one of us says something corny like 'you'll never get away'?" Raph asked, rather relaxed considering he had the barrel of a gun pointing at him.  
  
Casey made a thoughtful face and tilted his head, as though thinking deeply about it.  
  
The man with the gun was frowning horrified at Raph as he slowly backed away.  
  
"What - are you?" He spoke, voice quavering slightly.  
  
Raph narrowed his eyes and let his coat slip off his arms and fall to the floor, letting the man get a full picture. Raph took an attack pose.  
  
"You're worst nightmare," he growled in a low, dark voice.  
  
The man's eyes widened to their fullest and he turned and dashed out of the store with his mouth wide open.  
  
Raph stood back on his hunches and started laughing. Casey snorted.  
  
"Let's follow this goon," Casey said, and took off with silent footsteps after the man. Raph picked up his coat and hat and followed.  
  
Although the man had gotten a few seconds head start Raph and Casey soon picked up on his trail, having heard his heavy breathing as he dashed from one alleyway into another. He kept looking behind him a lot, forcing Casey and Raph to hide in shadows. They planned to follow him, and hopefully discover the criminals' hideout. At least they knew what the crooks looked like, which is more than the police knew. They tailed this man for twenty minutes, following him halfway across town, coming out of the bad streets and into the lightened ones where the traffic was busy. The man ran into a back alleyway, which was not lit up by the streetlamps, and into an exit door that led into a lit up room in a rundown snack bar with a boarded window.  
  
Raph and Casey hid behind some large, empty boxes a few yards from the door and listened.  
  
"This their hideout?" Casey asked, doubtfully.  
  
"Nah, this is just a pit stop," Raph whispered. "They wouldn't set up in this area of town. It's too close to the police station."  
  
Casey shushed Raph when he heard voices start to talk. Some of it wasn't very clear, but other bits were, and after several minutes they had discovered that these crooks were planning to break into the Museum and steal some ancient artifact. One of the voices belonged to a woman, the rest were men. When movement could be heard in the room, Casey peeked over the boxes to the room past the exit door. It was dark now, and the sound of a van roaring away disappeared too.  
  
"They've gotta be nuts if they think they can just walk into a museum and steal an artifact," Raph said. "I mean, there've got guards, infer-red beams, coded padlocks, everything."  
  
"Well, dunno about you, but I'd like to see how they plan to get by them," Casey said, stood up and walked to the lit up streets. Raph stood up and followed.  
  
It took five minutes of running to reach the museum. The building was old, but magnificent looking, with Greek-like pillars on either side of the entrance. It was built entirely from stone, and it stood in the dark, with small lights surrounding the base lighting up about two meters from the ground with a soft glow. There was no van around, so the criminals must have stashed it somewhere out of sight. But where they themselves were Raph and Casey didn't know. They both sneaked around the back of the building, to find one of the fire exits doors open ajar. It looked pretty new compared to the rest of the building. They both looked about before they opened the door wider and slipped inside.  
  
They met a small, dark, high corridor with many bends. They followed it, and as they did their eyes started to adjust to the blackness. Towards the end of the corridor was dim light, and they both bent low as they reached the opening to a walkway that went the whole way around the dark room below, with a staircase leading down in front of the corridor. In the room below was a typical museum show room, with glass cases at angles against the wall holding some of the most prize attractions in the building. Small lights built into the floor angled up and shone their glow at the cases, leaving the rest of the room in darkness.  
  
"Don't tell me they've already gotten past that load of infer-red beams down there," Casey frowned, wondering where the criminals were.  
  
A door to their right a few yards away opened, and Raph and Casey quickly hid behind the wall of the corridor, having nowhere else to hide. They listened to the voices of those they heard back at the rundown snack store.  
  
"Make sure that guard is tied up," one of the deep voices commanded. But it was not male. "I don't want anything to go wrong now we know we're onto the one piece . . ."  
  
The footsteps drew nearer to the corridor, and Raph and Casey pressed their backs against the wall. Raph's shell made a muffled thud through his coat, and he glanced at Casey.  
  
The voice continued. They had not heard it. The woman who was in front of the group turned to speak with the others just as she reached the corridor entrance, and then turned to go down the stairs. She did not see the two figures pressed against the wall, and neither did the other five members of her crooked gang as they watched her speak. She spoke thickly, but it was clear from her tone that she was one of the leaders. The male who spoke with the same tone was obviously another.  
  
Casey's shoulders dropped as he let out an invisible sigh. Then they both moved onto their knees and crawled closer to the railing so they could watch the group at the bottom. The tall man who was in charge along with the woman pulled something out of his pocket. It looked like a flat TV remote control, but because of the poor light Raph and Casey could not see properly.  
  
The man's thumb moved over the remote control and pushed a button. Humming filled the room, and then it died, and clicked. The small red lights around the base of the room clicked off, and Raph and Casey could only guess that the infer-red beams had just been shut off. Casey turned to Raph.  
  
"We're dealing with Donatellos here," he hissed.  
  
The six criminals quickly took advantage of the dead security and walked freely into the room. They were looking for something, and what was odd was that they were not stealing any of the objects in the cases.  
  
"You all know what it looks like," the man with the remote control spoke in a low voice. "It is a small, triangular piece, with the purple crystal Eye in the center. Find it quickly. We have little time before the alarm systems will override my controls."  
  
"Nice of them to tell us what they're searching for," Casey said quietly.  
  
"Yeah," Raph said, watching the group. "Let's find it first."  
  
He and Casey stood, bent low, and ran soundlessly along the walkway and through another door on the opposite side of the room. They entered a similar room, but this one had not only glass cases, but tables with a glass protection screen, and windows in the walls looking into small holes where objects stood or laid.  
  
"Case, you check those cases," Raph said, pointing to three glass cases, then smiled.  
  
Casey rolled his eyes and ran silently over to them. Inside they had two objects, one facing to the center of the room, the other facing the walls. None of the three cases held anything small and triangular.  
  
Suddenly a shrill siren ripped through the air and to their eardrums. In a heartbeat they had both dashed to the stairs, covering their ears against the earsplitting noise. The sound of running feet started to get louder, and they guessed it wasn't the group of crooks. Just as they reached the door into the other room, the door downstairs across the room flew open and five guards strode in, more behind. Raph and Casey dashed through the door in time to hear one of the black clothed figures yell, "I've got it!" and run with the rest of them up the stairs and into the corridor. Raph and Casey sped down the walkway just as the downstairs door banged open and the guards flooded in.  
  
"Up there!" One of them shouted.  
  
But Raph and Casey had already disappeared by the time he had finished talking, and they burst out of the fire exit door a few seconds later. Only to be met by two police officers.  
  
"Freeze!" One of them yelled, holding a gun at them. The other cop was holding a baton.  
  
Raph glanced at Casey before he cartwheeled to the side and Casey rolled forward and brought his legs around and knocked the cop's feet from under him.  
  
Raph knocked the other one down and they both ran before anyone else could stop them. They made it into a dark alleyway.  
  
"Well whatever those crooks wanted," Casey panted. "They got it."  
  
~  
  
This was a I-had-to-think-about-it-real-hard sequel, lol. I did already have one thought up ages ago but it meant the turtles being caught by scientists and - well, if I put that one up ya'll would have thought me real evil and hated me. I am so sorry about the crappy name, but it took me 2 months of frustration to think of something that might tie with everything in this fic, and I couldn't think of anything. Hope ya like the story anyway ;) 


	2. The Eye

Undiscovered Power  
  
~  
  
"Raph where have you been? It's late," Leo said quietly as his brother walked into the dimly lit kitchen with Casey and grabbed a drink for them both. The clock on the kitchen wall read 11:30.  
  
"Oh, chasing some criminals across town," Raph said nonchalantly.  
  
Leo's eye ridges rose ever so slightly. He did think Raph or Casey would actually find those crooks.  
  
"You found them?" Leo asked, watching their faces for any signs of a smile that would give away their little joke. "The criminals that have been breaking into antique stores?"  
  
"Yeah, we found 'em," Casey said, "stealing some things from another small antique store. Then we chased them across town to a small deserted building, where WE found out they were planning to break into the museum to steal something."  
  
Leo crossed his arms, head tilted to one side.  
  
"So then we followed them over there," Raph continued, dropping into his chair. "And heard they were looking for something small and triangular with something purple in the middle. Then we kinda had to split before we were seen." He took a long gulp from his drink as his brother watched him.  
  
"Well, whatever it was it'll be on the news, as well as that little shop," Leo said, and then stifled a yawn.  
  
"It's a good job that crook took his gun with him," Raph said, leaning his carapace on the chair arm, closing his eyes. "Otherwise they would have checked for fingerprints and found yours, Case."  
  
One of Leo's eye ridges furrowed down and he glanced at Casey.  
  
"Yeah, wannit just," Casey agree, stretching out on the couch. "If they'd found prints, it would be a little hard trying to explain that my only defendant is a mutant turtle, who, unfortunately, could not be with us to confirm my innocence as he tends to cause blind panic when seen."  
  
They both chuckled, and straight after dropped off to sleep. Leo shook his head and made his way back to his room that he shared with Donny. His brother had fallen asleep long ago.  
  
Leo climbed into his own bed on the top bunk, and stared at the ceiling, thinking. Casey had been visiting them more often than he used to. This had been going on for, what was it, about . . . three months. And only tonight after that amount of time plus the time they had throughout that weird transformation had Casey actually suggested that he and Raph go back to their old ways of busting heads topside. Everything had returned to normal.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Guys - those criminals have broken into the museum. S'on the news!" Donny called out through the dark lair, making the shadows that were Casey and Raph, who had been laying on the couch and arm chair, jump awake.  
  
"Wha?" Raph said, voice thick with sleep.  
  
Leo walked in noticing the only light in the lair was the TV light. It was meant to be morning.  
  
"Turn it up, Donny," Leo commanded, standing behind the couch that Casey was sitting up on. Mikey walked in rubbing his eyes. His gazed fixed on the TV as well.  
  
Donny turned the knob on the TV set.  
  
" . . . was stolen from the museum last night. A strange, small artifact that the museum experts have been unable to find out about its origin, or the intriguing symbols surrounding the purple crystal in the center, which is called the Eye . . ."  
  
A picture of the artifact appeared on the screen. It looked to be about four inches long ways and two inches width. It was in the shape of a diamond, and in the center was a beautiful, deep-purple crystal. Around it was a pattern of twisted gold, liquid-like metal. On either side of the crystal length-ways was two symbols, also twisted into form by the strange mental. The picture disappeared and the woman who was on the news returned.  
  
"Wow, looks like something ancient and mystical," Donny said, still staring at the TV from his crouched position. He turned down the volume.  
  
"Yeah that's what we tried to nab before the crooks did last night," Casey said leaning forward with his elbows across his knees having studied the object he had tried to reach before the criminals.  
  
"Last night?" Donny questioned, frowning at Casey, and then looking at Leo.  
  
"Casey and Raph followed them to the museum last night and heard they were planning to steal that." Leo explained, nodding his head towards the artifact, which had just disappeared from the TV. "So they tried to get it before those five crooks did."  
  
"The woman crook called it 'the one piece', or something like that," Raph said, swinging his legs off the chair arm.  
  
"Well, it's understandable," Mikey said with a lazy smile. "I mean, I'd swipe something like that if I could."  
  
Everyone turned and looked at him.  
  
"If I was a criminal," Mikey added. He turned and made his way blindly to the kitchen in the dark, arms out. "Donny when are we gonna have some light down here?"  
  
"Oh," Don said, standing up. "I forgot." He walked our of the TV light and into the darkness in the direction of the ladder. A few seconds later there was a dull thud on the wall and then a click, and their eyes suddenly clamped shut automatically as bright light filled the sub way.  
  
"Whoa! Dim it down, Don!" Mikey called from the kitchen, squinting.  
  
The lighting softened to the usual strength, and everyone looked about as Donny walked down the stairs, smiling.  
  
"Ta daa!" He said, opening his arms out.  
  
"Good, Donatello, now you boys can clean up," Splinter's aging voice spoke. They turned to see him stood next to his armchair.  
  
The turtles all groaned, and Donny moved further back into the room.  
  
"I gotta check out this artifact first, Sensei," he said, starting to walk towards his lab. "Maybe I can find out about it on the net." He disappeared to his computer.  
  
Leo moved over to the candles on the TV and blew them out, along with the smaller ones on the tables. He then joined Mikey in the kitchen to grab a drink.  
  
"Hey dudes, who wants to watch a movie?" Mikey asked, slamming a cupboard door shut in the kitchen as the lid of Leo's coke hissed and he hurriedly stepped over to the sink as it leaked everywhere.  
  
"Yeah, okay," Raph agreed, absently-mindedly.  
  
"Great, what movie?"  
  
"Men In Black 2," Raph suggested, staring at the wall.  
  
Mikey smiled, going to get his coat. "Cool, we've only seen that movie once, and that was when it was . . ." Mikey's smile faded. ". . . on at the cinema." He looked at his brother who was staring non-blinkingly at the wall as though watching his own sad memories. Mikey's shoulders dropped.  
  
"Maybe you should see what recent films have just come out and get that," Casey suggested. He looked at Mikey, who nodded. They all remembered WHO they went with to see that movie.  
  
//  
  
Up on the surface, above the sewer system, the bright sunlight shone down on the video store, which had only just opened, as it always did, at 9:00. The man behind the counter was familiar with most of the customers, especially one kid who came in dressed in a trench coat, never showing any part of his body. He was weird, but he came in regularly. Today three of his customers were currently picking a good movie to rent.  
  
The teenage girl who had only just popped in picked up a movie case from the shelf and read the back. Her long brownish red hair draped down her back in a loose ponytail.  
  
"I thought you said you knew what you wanted to get?" Said her sister, walking over to her.  
  
"I do, I'm just looking." Prida said, in a monotone, trying to read the cover while mustering the effort to speak at the same time.  
  
"Okay, I'll be in the food store next door when you're done," Mai said, and walked out. The bell tinkled when the door was opened.  
  
Prida put down the video and moved around the high shelf to the other side just as the bell jingled again. She picked up the video she was after and began to walk to the counter. She could hear someone moving on the other side of the shelf.  
  
Mikey walked along the shelf looking for the video Raph had specifically asked him to get, feeling a sudden warmness. He glanced up expecting to see a ventilation grate, but didn't; he shrugged mentally. Another video caught his eye and he stopped to glance at it. He could hear someone faintly saying "thank you" at the counter in the back of his mind and then soft footsteps. Mikey took his eyes off the video case and walked around the other side of the shelf just as the door bell jingled and someone walked out. Mikey looked up at the 'M' section. Men In Black 2 wasn't there. Mikey sighed, and picked up another one. He took it to the counter.  
  
"It's a bummer Men In Black 2's out," Mikey muttered to the man. "My brother likes that movie."  
  
The man behind the counter took his money. "You were a minute too late," he said. "A girl took it just now."  
  
Mikey nodded. "Oh, well, thanks." He turned and left the store, heading to the alleyway that was away from prying eyes and up to the manhole that would lead him to his home. He put the video in his pocket, knelt down and lifted the heavy manhole cover. He climbed down onto the ladder and replaced the lid, then he dropped down into the sewer water and trotted home.  
  
His journey was about thirteen minutes back to the lair. But a tunnel before he got there he met April.  
  
"Hey Mikey, where've you been?" She greeted.  
  
Mikey held up the video. "To the store. We were all bored so I decided to grab a movie."  
  
April smiled and rolled her eyes. "Good thinking," she said sarcastically. They were always watching movies.  
  
They both walked around the tunnel to the trapdoor in the floor. Mikey opened it and stood aside.  
  
"Ladies first," he said, smiling sweetly, gesturing with his hands.  
  
"Such a gentleman, Mikey," April chuckled, and climbed down the ladder. Mikey followed, replacing the wooden door as he stepped down.  
  
"Hey guys," April called out as she stepped off the last rung of the ladder. Mikey jumped the last three, and they both walked down the steps to where Casey was watching TV with splinter.  
  
Casey took April's hand and pulled her down onto the couch with him. "Hey babe," he said smiling, noses touching.  
  
April smiled. "I hate it when you call me that." She slipped her hands over his shoulders and lent her forehead on his.  
  
"Ugh," Mikey said, turning away to the TV. He looked at the couch and then at Splinter. "Where're Raph and Leo?"  
  
"They are sparring," his Master replied in his whispery voice.  
  
Mikey put the video on the small table next to Splinter's armchair and just then Donny popped his head out of his lab door.  
  
"Hey - I managed to get some info up on this artifact from the museum," he called, then disappeared back inside the room.  
  
Mikey tilted his head and jogged over to the dojo. "Hey guys," he said to a sweating Leo and Raph who were facing each other, hands raised. "Don found something on the net."  
  
They grabbed a towel and followed Mikey into Donny's room, where their brother was sat at his computer, clicking away.  
  
"What ya found, Don?" Leo asked, bending down to look over his brother's shoulder at the screen.  
  
"Well, this relic is called the 'Eye' artifact of Yailea," Don explained slowly, staring at his screen as he spoke. "A.K.A the Eye of Yailea."  
  
"What?" Mikey screwed his face up at the names.  
  
Donny sighed and gave the computer mouse a click. He continued: "Yiretz is a supposed galaxy far away from the Milky Way or any other surrounding galaxy . . ." He paused for a second, listening to the silence that told him he had their undivided attention. ". . .It was believed to have been a myth to a small group of a very superstitious ancient Egyptians, who star glazed as much as Mikey eats pizza. In this galaxy there was a planet called Yailea, with a material containing elements almost identical to our metal, but it gave power. This power would only be awakened if a crystal from the same planet was connected to the metal, which was then called The Eye. . . The Eye of Yailea was formed on one certain night when all the planets, including those of the different galaxy, had aligned and the star constellations were at a certain point in the sky, reflecting the star patterns in the Yiretz. It somehow appeared on Earth on the same night - which is impossible because if it fell as a meteor it would have taken AGES for it to reach Earth."  
  
Donny stared at his screen as his brothers remained silent for a second, then Mikey said in a barely audible voice, "weeeird."  
  
"Maybe it didn't fall," Leo suggested, staring at the last word Donny had just read aloud.  
  
"Well how else would it have gotten here?" Mikey asked, frowning.  
  
Leo shrugged, shaking his head slightly. "I dunno, maybe when it was formed, and the crystal touched the metal, it kinda zapped here."  
  
"Good assumption, Leo," Donny said, tilting his head, slightly impressed with his brother's theory. "It WAS supposed to activate its powers when the metal and the crystal came in contact, but why would it fall to this planet?"  
  
"Duh Donny," Mikey said, bending slightly and knocking on his brother's head as if knocking on a door. "Earth is the only planet in the galaxy with life forms, it might have needed humans to suck the life out of."  
  
"I said this came from the galaxy Yiretz," Donny said. "Not our galaxy . . ."  
  
Mikey straightened up. "Well then I guess we ARE the most intelligent beings in the whole universe," He smiled. "If it decided to land here."  
  
"It doesn't have a mind of it's own, Mikey," Raph said, arms crossed. "It didn't 'decide' to land here. It's a chunk of metal."  
  
Leo turned from his two brothers to Donny. "Can you find out when it was created, Don? When it fell to Earth, and then we could find out who was born on the day when the planets and stars were the same as when it was made; maybe that's the reason it fell to Earth."  
  
"Thinking like I am, Leo," Donny smiled and cracked his fingers. " In fact," he grabbed the mouse again and scrolled down on the page he had been reading from. "It DOES say that these Egyptians believed it fell to Earth for that reason: To mark the birth of something in the future."  
  
"How cute," Mikey suddenly said. "An alien Godfather sent his Godson or Goddaughter a piece of metal that would allow them to use it for power."  
  
"It doesn't say if it was living," Donny said leaning closer to his computer, rereading it. "I'll see if I can find out when it came to Earth, but I dunno if I can get the information, it was a LONG time ago."  
  
"We know you can do it," Mikey said, and turned to leave, but he stopped when Raph spoke.  
  
"Hey, Donny, can you print that picture out?" Raph asked his brother, staring at the picture of the museum artifact on the screen.  
  
"Sure," Donny said, and clicked a few times. The printer hummed to life and started to take in the paper. It sounded very old. "By the way guys, I want money for this, the ink has nearly all gone, because SOMEBODY has been printing pizza recipes." He gave Mikey a meaningful look.  
  
"Mikey," Leo scowled. "You usually make your own pizza recipes."  
  
"And money from you Leo," Don said, smiling. "I printed that picture so YOU could have target practice."  
  
Leo and Mikey gave their brother a tilted look that tried to tell him to forget it. They grumbled when Donny turned around deliberately, and left while Raph watched the printed picture slide out and onto his hands.  
  
"What do you want that for, anyway?" Donny asked, sitting back in his chair and looking at his brother.  
  
"So I know what it looks like and steal it back later," Raph said with a smile and a glint in his eye. He turned and walked out.  
  
Donny shook his head and turned back to his computer screen. He sighed; this was going to take ages if he had to find out something that happened way back in the past.  
  
Raph walked past Mikey and Leo, who were arguing about something, and into his and Mikey's room. He sat down on Mikey's bed and shuffled further on it so he could lean his shell against the wall, sitting on Mikey's pillow. He looked at the picture in the middle of the A4 sized paper. It was printed off larger than its actual size, but the details stood out better. Raph centered his focus on the two symbols molded into the metal patterns next to the longest two points of the crystal Eye. He ran his finger over one, tracing it. Why did these symbols look so familiar?  
  
**** ~Flashback~ ****  
  
Humming, buzzing, it was people talking. He was in a corridor full of people. Through the mass of people walking in front of him he saw the flash of eyes, and a chain; a pendant hung from the chain. The eyes locked onto his for a second before they and the pendant disappeared into the sea of people, and Leo's voice invaded his thoughts. His brother's voice was cut off -  
  
**** ~End Flashback~ ****  
  
Raph blinked, still looking at the symbol. He brought it closer to his face, staring at each line of the emblem.  
  
**** ~Flashback~ ****  
  
He walked forward in a classroom, following his brother; but under his left foot he had trodden on something, and he stopped and lifted his foot. On the floor under his sneaker was a necklace chain, and on it was that pendant. He picked it up, and held it in his hand, looking at it for a second before dropping it in his pocket . . .  
  
**** ~End Flashback~ ****  
  
Raph lowered the paper, and lent back against the wall, frowning. This symbol on the picture was the same as the pendant on that chain. Raph looked at the picture again, just to make sure he was seeing it properly. Over the past few months he had gradually recovered from his depressed state, but he had always seen something that reminded him, it had driven him mad and his Master was forced to lock him in meditation to try and calm his mind down. It had worked, but it had not had the great effect Splinter wanted for his son. Instead he told Raph that he should try to put his mind on something else. But now, after at least two weeks of relaxing with no disturbing memories, did his heart start to ache badly again. It made Raph laugh crazily to himself to think that he suffered like this because the feelings were new to him; he had never had a friend that was his own age, opposite sex, and as nice to him as Mikey was. But Mikey . . . Raph suddenly felt sorry for his brother. His brother coped with those emotions so much more than Raph did because he allowed them to overcome him sometimes. That was why Mikey was strong in that area, and Raph was not. 


	3. Snatch Back

Unbelievable Discoveries ~  
  
"Okay, so we're only following them," Leo whispered, crouched down behind a dumpster with Raph and Casey. "Do not engage in combat if they start breaking into places."  
  
It was late that night, and Donny was still trying to find more information on this thing that Leo, Raph and Casey were going to steal back. They had all decided that if it was powerful, it didn't want to be in the hands of some crooks.  
  
"I bet you love saying those lines," Raph said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes coolly at his brother, who turned and gave him a glare.  
  
"Guys, save your brotherly love 'til later," Casey cut in, crouched behind them both. "We have company."  
  
He pointed to the end of the alleyway they were in, next to the shabby snack bar, where three black dressed figures, faces exposed, rounded the corner and started to make their way towards the end of the alley where the fire exit door to the snack bar was. Leo, Raph and Casey lowered closer to the ground, backs against the dumpster, and trashcans in front of them. It stunk, but they were well hidden.  
  
The three men did not talk as they walked past the dumpster and the trashcans to the snack bar's entrance. They disappeared inside, and muffled voices began to speak.  
  
The three outside all leaned a little closer, trying to catch the words. Casey felt something small fall on his head, and he put his hand there. He looked up at the dark, cloudy sky.  
  
A second later it felt as if a bucket had been poured over them, as it started to chuck it down with rain. In the few seconds they had frozen, feeling the ice-cold water run down their necks, they were soaked.  
  
"Great - now we can't even hear ourselves!" Casey said loudly, knowing the amount of noise the rain was making on the dumpster next to them drowned out their voices to the crooks in the building.  
  
Leo's eyes turned upwards and he glared at the sky. He turned around to face Raph and Casey, who both looked as though they had been thrown in a lake.  
  
"We'll just wait until they come out, and then follow them," he said as loud as he dared over the roar of the dumpster next to them. "They won't be planning to attack anywhere tonight, especially not in these conditions."  
  
So they waited in the downpour for what seemed like an hour, and without a watch, it probably was. Leo and Raph had to take off their fedoras because the rainwater hat pretty much flattened them to their heads. Casey's shoulder-length hair was matted to the back of his neck and his shoulders, and as it kept sliding forward in the streams running down his shoulders, he kept flicking it back and hitting Raph. It was a night Mikey would be rolling around on the floor laughing at.  
  
After the hour of water torture, in which they had moved places around the building trying to hear better, but couldn't; movement was noticed in the door and three figures walked out into the rain and headed for the end of the alleyway. They were dressed in black pants and casual dark colored shirts. Leo, Raph and Casey watched as they disappeared around the corner and onto the streets. A few seconds after that, they turned back to see two more figures walk out. One in dark navy jeans and a normal blue-gray shirt; this was the woman. Her face was not hidden in the black facemask she had worn before, so her sharp jaw line and high check bones could just be seen in the dark alleyway. The man she was with had a short, neat hair trim, and a strong jaw bone. He wore dark beige pants and a black baseball shirt. They both disappeared from view.  
  
Casey stood up quickly, eager to follow them. The two turtle brothers remained crouched for a second, before standing also.  
  
"Stealth Mode," Raph whispered smoothly, grinning.  
  
Without a sound they rushed to a ladder that was hanging in the alleyway from the wall of the building, and climbed it to the rooftop. Casey looked down over the edge of the small building they were on, and his eyes located the two people on the other side of the street.  
  
It was a great night for jumping rooftops. Great as in not much people were around so the chance of them seeing three figures jumping from roof to roof was slim. And great as in it was a night of solid navy sky to look at. The bad thing was it was cold, and after being frozen by the ice-cold water, Leo and Raph almost missed the last roof after an hour of following, because their systems were starting to slow due to the cold. They had had to dispose of their wet coats, so there was no disguise for them either. But this night they weren't backing down, and so when the two people who they were following met up with the other three people, the two turtles and Casey stopped to catch their breath and watch silently.  
  
They were out of the busier areas now, and into the quieter ones. But these neighborhoods were not known for violence, and so, when the five figures walked up to a gate, waited for it to open and then disappeared into a mansion-look-alike, Leo, Raph and Casey realized why no one had found the crooks' hideout.  
  
"Whoa," Casey said, nodding his head slightly at the glamour of the house. "These guys must be living it good."  
  
"Well I guess business booms when you steal stuff," Raph said with a slight mocking tone. He and Leo were shivering every time they inhaled.  
  
"Great, that obviously means they have good security around the grounds," Leo said, squinting down to the gates that secured the big building, connecting to a brick wall that ran around it. He could see a control panel for the gates, the one they had just seen the crooks use to get in.  
  
"We can get through that," Casey boasted coolly with a smile. He glanced at his two pals who were shivering and he raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah, c'mon, let's go," Raph said, and jumped into an open dumpster. He disappeared under the trash, but resurfaced a second later and climbed out stealthily, creeping across the road to the other side. Leo and Casey followed his suit, but remained in the dumpster as a slow car drove by.  
  
Leo and Casey climbed out of the metal dumpster and ran across the road to where Raph was, having been hiding from the car behind the wall of the gates.  
  
"We can't get through here," Leo said, looking at the gate. "We'll have to find another way around the back."  
  
With silent footsteps, they hugged the wall and crept away from the gate to the back of the building, where there was a smaller gate with a padlock. They scoffed at the padlock and climbed over the gate, dropping silently on the other side, into a small jungle of a garden.  
  
They slinked, animal-like, round the path into the open garden where they got a better view of the house. Before it was a white veranda, as far as they could tell in the dark. Keeping their eye on the lightened window, they made their way towards it.  
  
Someone passed in front of the window and they dove for cover behind the steps of the veranda. They could hear muffled voices from the lightened room, and they listened as the loudest turned away.  
  
"One questions before we move," Casey spoke, quietly. "Where would they hold a little triangular piece of metal in a house that size?"  
  
The two turtles stared back at him blankly.  
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Casey sat back against the stone steps on the grass.  
  
Leo turned off his butt onto his knees and peered over the edge of the steps to look at the window. He could see two of the crooks smiling. The one on the right passed something small and triangular to the one on the left. Leo sat back down, a small smile on his face.  
  
"Mrs. White, in the living room, with the candle stick," he said, smiling widening.  
  
Casey frowned at him, and nodded, chewing his tongue.  
  
"Okay, so how do we snatch it from right under their noses?" He asked.  
  
"We just walk in, bust some heads, grab the jewel and walk out," Raph said, sliding his palm smoothly through the air while he spoke.  
  
Leo rolled his eyes. "No, they'll probably have guards or dogs -"  
  
"Guard Dogs," Raph interrupted, with a small smile.  
  
" - And besides, we haven't got our disguises, we can't let them see us."  
  
"Well they've gotta put it down sometime," Casey said. "Let's just sneak in, watch the activity from inside and grab the artifact when their backs are turned."  
  
Leo said nothing, but stared at the grass, trying to decide. He nodded, agreeing with Casey's tactic.  
  
They got to their feet, crouched, and ran along the veranda to a door just on the other side of the building. Leo stepped aside and let Raph unlock it with his Sai, figuring they wouldn't put a wire on the door when they had a whole brick wall to keep intruders out. It would make them look very suspicious.  
  
As Leo thought, the door only opened with a click, and a small squeak as Raph pushed it open, looking into a large kitchen. They moved forwards, closing the door to behind them.  
  
There were two doors in the kitchen, not including the one they had come through, and Leo pointed to the one on the left side of the wall they were facing.  
  
They looked almost plain on this side, but when they opened it, it was decorative on the other side. Looking up from the door, Leo looked into the large corridor they were in. There was a long, red carpet running to the end, and patterned wallpaper. On the left was a row of magnificent looking windows, high and wide. Positioned along at about two meters apart opposite the windows were expensive wooden bureaus.  
  
"Whoa," Raph said, mouth open. "I'm dying to see what the rest of the house looks like."  
  
They sneaked to the end of the corridor; feeling dwarfed by the height of the ceiling in there, and pressed their ears to the door. There was no sound, so Leo grasped the curved door handle and carefully turned it down. The door opened with no creak, and they peered into the room.  
  
It was an office room, with another, larger bureau along the far wall and a very heavy-looking desk in the center, cluttered with papers and a lamp. The wallpaper was a brown, almost tea-stained color, and the floor was dark. Directly opposite them on the left wall was a door-less opening that lead into the living room, from where the voices where coming from and at next to the wall it was near, on the left side was a door that must have lead somewhere else.  
  
Since the opening was on a corner, the people inside the room could not see the two turtles and Casey, who moved further into the room. Leo backed right up against the wall next to the opening and listened to the voices. Raph and Casey stood behind the desk, watching and listening too.  
  
"I guess this means a toast," One male voice was saying, clearing from his high-spirited tone he was smiling.  
  
"I wouldn't toast just yet," a low, female voice spoke in an intelligent tone. They were soft footsteps. "We still have to figure out what will activate the Purple Eye, and that may take as long as it took to find the damn thing."  
  
A quiet voice spoke next, and Leo moved even closer to try and hear it. He crouched down, low to the ground, and slowly peered around the wall into the room. There was a very expensive couch with its back to him, and a large armchair with its side facing him, opposite a massive, fancy fireplace with a dancing fire. There was another couch, identical to the first, opposite the first. The walls were gold with patterns, and the carpet was dark red. Whoa, luxury or what?  
  
One man was sat forward in the armchair and picked up something from a small table next to the chair arm. He studied it while the others watched him. The woman and the strong-jawed man were stood next to the fire, wine glass in hands; one other man was stood in the center, and the last was sat on the couch with his back to Leo.  
  
Casey, who had been leaning as far as he dared on one foot to see into the room, stood back up straight. He elbowed Raph.  
  
"Got an idea," he whispered, and made towards the door they had come through.  
  
Leo turned to look where he was going, as Raph was muttering to himself, "S'long as it ain't ringing the doorbell."  
  
Casey disappeared into the long corridor, and Leo held out his hands to Raph, asking where Casey had gone. Raph shrugged and mouthed 'got an idea'. Leo's eye ridges rose and they both turned to look back into the living room. One of the men was arguing with another.  
  
"You try looking for something that happened thousands of years ago!" His voice calmed down as his breathing returned to normal. "Look, I've been doing some research, finding all I can. Lemme get my papers, I might have missed something when I read through them . . ."  
  
Leo and Raph recoiled and jumped behind the desk as soft footsteps turned towards them. But before the man could reach the room, a soft but loud chime rang through the house.  
  
Under the desk Raph made a face and mouthed 'the doorbell?!' Leo grinned.  
  
"Who the hell is that?" One voice spoke.  
  
"No one should be able to get through the gate . . ." Another male voice said lowly. "Check it out."  
  
Leo and Raph emerged from the table as all five crooks' footsteps walked out of the room. They looked at each other, surprised, and crept to the opening. No one was in the room, and the fools had left the triangular metal piece on the small table next to the armchair.  
  
Taking this chance Leo leaped into the room and grabbed the Eye, just as one of the men strode back in remembering it, with the woman behind.  
  
Leo froze for a slit second, heart jolted because they had seen him. Then he spun and bolted out the room, while the other two recovered from their shock and called out, alarmed. Leo and Raph rushed to the corridor and ran high-speed to the kitchen. Rapid footsteps followed them but they made it outside and ran to gate where Casey had been waiting for them, waving his arms, telling them to get a move on. He climbed up the gate and jumped over the other side as Leo tossed the artifact over the gate to Casey so he could climb quicker. He and his brother jumped down just as the man who had seen them ran into the gate, rattling it, and started to climb over it too. He gave up with an angered snarl when Leo, Raph and Casey sprinted away into the darkness.  
  
()()()()  
  
"You STOLE it back?" Mikey asked, incredulously, as he took the triangular artifact from Leo's hands gently, as though it was something royal he shouldn't really be touching. He stared at it with his mouth parted, hypnotized by the fluid look of the piece, tracing his fingers over the smooth, crisscrossing lines of the tangle of metal that ran around the purple 'Eye' in the center.  
  
Leo used both his free hands now to rub his frozen arms, while Donny, who noticed the signs, ran back into his lab and grabbed two thick, woolly sheets. He rushed back in and wrapped one around Leo, who nodded, shaking, and thanked him. Donny handed Raph the other and then walked into the kitchen, making hot drinks. Casey, who had relaxed on the couch, arms stretched over the top of the back, rested his head back against it as well.  
  
"I c-can't believe you r-rang the doorbell," Raph shivered, grinning, the sheet Don had given him slung over his shoulder. He ignored the fact he was freezing and shaking.  
  
Casey straightened his head and shrugged modestly. "Well, it got them all out of the room."  
  
"I think we'd love to hear details," Donny said with a smile as he handed Leo a steaming mug, and Raph another. Leo sat down at the end of the couch next to Casey who was stretched in the middle. Mikey, who was still staring at the artifact, sat on the couch arm, with his feet on the cushions opposite Leo. He turned the Eye over and looked at the back. Then he studied the two symbols on the front, while Raph sat in his chair opposite Splinter's, which Donny sat in. Splinter himself had obviously gone to bed; it was a late hour. Donny had been surprised their Sensei had not asked where Leo was when the latest time his oldest son ever returned passed. But, knowing his all-knowing mind, he guessed Splinter had a fair idea where they had gone, after all, they had filled in to their Master the information of this artifact.  
  
Leo, who was shaking pretty badly, did not speak as information about the Eye was passed on to Casey, so he could consume his steaming drink slowly, letting the heat of it warm his insides pleasantly. Raph had not touched his own, and his blanket was thrown over his chair arm. The lighting in the Lair had been switched off, and a few of the old candles had been lit, giving the five figures of the subway a flicker glow.  
  
After they'd finished their account of how they stole it back, they became silent for a few seconds, and Casey took the Eye of Yailea from Mikey, who was done with studying it. Casey turned it over several times in his hands, feeling the weight and noting the intriguing patterns. He appeared unimpressed, and handed it to Leo as he spoke next.  
  
"Ah dunno; it's a bit small to have powers, innit?" He asked them all, as Leo handed it to a stretched out hand of Donny.  
  
Donny turned it over and studied the back first. "The size is unimportant, Case," he said as he turned it over and looked at the front, staring deeply into the beautiful purple crystal.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, look at Men In Black," Mikey chipped in, leaning forward over the couch with his hands clasped together, arms leaning across his legs. "There was a WHOLE galaxy in one little -" He stopped when he saw everyone was staring at him. Mike looked down at the couch cushion. "Yeah, like Don said - Oo, and like the Godzilla saying: 'Size doesn't matter'."  
  
"Mikey shut up," Raph said. Even in the dim light his muscle spasms could be seen just barely as he tensed and shook for a second, and then relaxed, only to be followed by more quick shaking. Leo was doing the same under his blankets.  
  
Donny was now running a finger over the symbols. An odd feeling deep down inside his chest fluttered for a second. It felt like a quick sense of recognition, but it disappeared almost as soon as it rose.  
  
Silence had again dominated the Lair as Donny's eyes ran over the metal, and as Mikey watched him. Casey sighed tiredly and dropped his head back against the top of the couch back.  
  
Mikey yawned loudly and deeply, stretching his arms out. When he had finished he said, "Well, I'm goin' to bed, see you guys in the morning . . . make that afternoon." He slid off the couch arm and walked with heavy footsteps to his and Raph's car, where he disappeared from the glow of the candles.  
  
Finding Mikey's notion a good idea, Leo and Raph make their shivering way to their own beds, and a minute later, after putting the Eye on his computer desk, Donny joined Leo in their room, where he fell asleep on his bottom bunk. Casey was left to stretch out on the couch as he had done many times. He stood up and picked up the blanket Raph had left on the chair arm, then he walked over to the candles on the TV and blew them out. He made his way back to the couch, only a few feet away, and dropped down on the old, but soft cushions, pulling the blanket over him. Within a few minutes he was asleep, as were the other four previously awake occupants of the Lair.  
  
~  
  
Thanks for your reviews, I know this sequel takes a different path than the first, but I think it wud be weird if I had them human again in this one. I just hope you guy'll like where I'm going with this ( 


	4. The Humming

Undiscovered Power

~

"Hey Don, you found anything about the date of this Eye thingy yet?" Mikey asked tiredly, rubbing his right eye with his knuckle while clumsily walking into Donny's lab at 7:30 the following morning. His brother had awoken early with Leo to boot up his computer and continue his search for a date of when the Eye was created. Leo had grabbed a morning drink, and had disappeared into his 'second room', the dojo, for morning practice.

   "Not yet," Donny said hopefully, staring at his screen as his fingers skimmed mechanically over the keyboard.

   Mikey's eyelids drooped and he yawned, stretching his arms out. He turned and walked out of Donny's lab and disappeared into his and Raph's small, shared room. A few seconds later there was a small grunt from Mikey as he wrenched Raph's covers away from his brother; a very surprised "Whoa!" that was uttered quickly, and a heavy thud as one turtle body hit the floor from the top bunk.

   "Get up – practice time," Mikey said chirpily, though unsure whether he should smile happily for his brother when he stood up, or whether he should run to avoid nasty bruises from a grumpy and angry Raph. Though these options were thrown aside as Mikey felt something knock his legs down and the next second he was on the floor; an angry Raph towering over him, trying to wring his brother's neck.

   "How – many – times –" Raph said as he shook his brother, " – have I told you NOT – to do that?"

   Mikey choked; tongue hanging from his mouth. "M-mor-nin', Rafffff!"

   Donny stopped typing to listen to the familiar sounds of his younger brother being choked. His eyes turned upwards as he recognized the sound, then they returned to the screen and he continued typing.

   Mikey kicked his brother over and rolled on top of him with a "Ha-ha!" Then he jumped to his feet and quickly legged it out the room into the dojo from where Leo was just appearing. They both collided and hit the floor.

   "Ow . . ." Mikey moaned as he picked himself up and rubbed his arm, as Leo stood straight and gave him a meaningful questioning look. Mikey pointed to the side of him where Raph had just come bounding out of his room but had skidded to a stop, bunching up the mat. "His fault," Mike said, before disappeared, quickly, into the dojo.

   Leo gave Raph a look as he walked past him into Donny's lab as Raph used his foot to smoothen out the waves he had created in the mat.

   "C'mon, Don, Practice," Leo ordered, glancing at the back of his brother, and then at the screen he was staring at. His brother gave an automatic grunt, and Leo, who knew his brother hadn't even heard him, turned around and started to head back out, as Raph walked in Don's lab. Leo stopped. "Raph, dojo, before Master Splinter wakes." His other brother ignored him too, and Leo gave an exasperated sigh and joined Mikey in the dojo.

   Donny continued to type and click away, caught up in his computer, as Raph walked up behind him, watching the screen also.

   "Hey," He said, catching his brother's attention, even if he still did not look at him. Raph hesitated before continuing, "I think I, er, know what those two symbols are on the Eye thing – well, I mean, I think I've seen them before . . ."

   Donny stopped typing and turned his rotating chair to Raph, waiting for him to continue . . .

   Leo walked in a minute later, with sounds of Mikey practicing in the dojo behind him. He stood in the doorway of Donny's lab.

   "Hey – you two," he said impatiently. "C'mon, practice . . . what's wrong?"

   Donny twisted round to his comp and clicked it onto standby, and then stood up facing Leo.

   "Nothing, Raph's having images again," Don said, throwing a sideways glance at Raph. He moved over to Leo in the doorway.

   Leo looked upon his brother with an almost saddened gaze. "Splinter said you shouldn't think about . . . that . . . none of us should," he added with a small glance at Donny before lowering his head to the floor. He sighed, turned, and walked back to the dojo. Don gave Raph a final look and followed Leo. 

   Raph watched both his brothers leave the lab, unblinking. They thought he was cracking up again . . . Was he? The forgotten anger that lived inside him returned, stronger. He was angry at his brothers and at himself. He wasn't nuts, and as he recalled they had acted just like him those few weeks after the accident. With an angry exhalation, teeth grinding against each other for a second, he walked out of Donny's lab and into the dojo, seconds before Master Splinter joined them, pleased to see they had arrived to practice before him.

   Practice this morning was an average effort by the boys. Splinter noticed their lack of determination to impress each other with moves, and their unbothered attempt to beat the other. He had heard plenty last night to know that two of his sons had returned with the artifact that had been stolen from the museum the other night. It had been cold last night, and had he known beforehand that they were venturing to steal this artifact, he would have been worried; the cold could be dangerous to his sons, because of what they are. He was slightly surprised that Leonardo was second best today, and that Michelangelo, although appearing to be applying average effort to his practice, beat his older brother almost easily. Leonardo did not even appear to be bothered, he seemed aloof, as though his thoughts were affects his sparring. But Splinter was not perturbed by this behavior from all four of his sons; it was something that rose in their behavior a few times since his sons' friend had been killed. They had taken it hard the first few weeks, and after that they slowly began to return to normal, though there were some periods when they acted strangely. Splinter's feelings had been at sorrow for them; he felt just as heartbroken as them to know that they had suffered something they had never experienced. Leaving friends behind was difficult for them, and they suffered in their own ways. Not only had they left friends behind, but also one had been killed. Had it not been such a sad event, Splinter would have allowed his knowing-feelings to rise above the grieving ones, feelings that told him he knew something bad would happen, and that in a way, it was their own fault for making the friends they should not have accepted. But to deny them friendship when they were sent off to that school was like denying Mikey pizza in a pizzeria. Other thoughts defended his sons: They deserved the friendship they had for those few weeks; they deserved the experience of living a normal, human life; and they deserved the freedom they had found. Splinter suddenly gave himself a mentally sharp tap; here he was, thinking about the events of almost five months ago, and he had told his sons that they should not dwell on it. But it pained him to see his sons like this, and so he could not help but travel back to when they had been the happiest in their lives. Returning to the sparring, Splinter continued to watch and guide his sons through their practice, which ended slightly earlier later on.

()()()()

   Donny sat back in his chair with a defeated sigh, staring at the computer as though it was deliberately keeping its information hidden. He had returned to it as soon as practice had finished, which was an hour ago. He leant forward and switched off his computer, and then gave his chair a small push and it spun around to face the door to his lab.

   "I'm going topside for a break and some fresh air," he called. "Anyone wanna join me?"

   Mikey's head poked around the door and his gaze rested on his brother.

   "I'll come," he volunteered. "I wanna check out what DVDs are on sale." He stepped into the doorway as Donny stood up and spun his chair back to face the computer. "Not havin' any luck, huh?"

   "Not a damn thing," Donny sighed, shoulders drooping slightly. He titled in head and walked over to Mikey in the doorway. "I didn't think you had any money," he frowned.

   Mikey grinned. "Found an old stash hidden in that hiding place I couldn't remember ages ago."

   Donny chuckled, and they both walked out into the lair, past the couch were Splinter was watching the morning news. They informed him of where they were heading, geared themselves up in trench coats and fedoras, and exited the lair via the ladder. They made their way, bending slight, quickly to the manhole dubbed as their front door, which was located in the alleyway out of sight. They climbed quickly out, replaced the lid and whistled away as they emerged from the alley into the street.

   Mikey led them to a small mall fifteen minutes away, and disappeared into an open-out store which sold comics, DVDs, videos and candy. Donny, after having checked out a few of the other little stores, followed his brother, and found him in-between two short isles of shelved DVDs.

   "Whatcha looking for anyway?" Donny asked, shoving his hands further into his pockets and listening to the odd, ambient background music in the store.

   "Anything good," his brother replied simply, reading the back of a DVD he had picked up from a high shelf.

   Donny was thinking about possible searches on the Net he could get into to find info on this Eye. It was bugging him that he hadn't found anything yet. His thoughts ebbed away as he listened to the new music that was playing. It was beautiful humming of a female artist.

   Don nodded shortly to himself. "Now this is better music," he murmured. It was really nice humming, and it seemed quite loud, but yet soft.

   "No," Mike said, putting the DVD down and looking for another, "that is someone humming, Don, in this store."

   Donny froze for a second and then loosened up. "Oh, yeah . . . right." But his small goofy smile disappeared as something deep in his mind stirred, pestering him until he realized it was a feeling of something familiar. _Pfh_, he didn't know anyone who hummed like that, how could it be familiar to him? April certainly hummed differently, she was not really a hummer, and he was sure as hell Casey couldn't even hum. Curious to see what the face looked like to who the humming belonged too, Donny started to shift his weight to his right foot, balancing his other as a steady weight so he could lean past the edge of the shelf he was near and see who was just on the other side. He had just got smallest glimpse of redish hair before Mikey tugged on his coat, pulling his brother back onto two feet. Don glanced at the edge of the shelf as the humming started to fade, and returned his gaze quickly to his brother, who was holding up a DVD, a horror flick, awaiting his comments about whether he should take it or not. Don stared at the front cover, and the hum disappeared completely.

   "Whoa man," Mikey suddenly said, wrapping his coat tighter to him. "I think I have a fever or something, I swear turning hot and then cold quickly isn't normal, even for me."

   Donny stared at his brother with a small frown creasing his bandanna ridges. "No," he said softly, looking up. "I felt it too . . ."

   Mikey shrugged. "So, should I get this movie or not?" He waved the DVD with his wrist.

   "Yeah . . ." Donny said distantly, having now moved backwards to the end of the isle and was watching a flash of a long red-brown plait disappear around a group of people. He frowned after it, looked down at the floor in thought, and was broke out of them by Mikey's voice. He somehow forgot the strange importance that red hair had to him as he walked with Mikey to pay for the DVD.

   "Something for you to watch when you get fed up with that computer again," Mikey said cheerfully, thrusting the DVD in front of Donny as they walked out of the store and out of the small mall into the streets.

   "Yeah," Donny said again. "Good, though I don't think I'll be away from the computer until I GET this information . . . I'm actually beginning to think it's impossible to find."

   "NOT . . ." Mikey said with a one-sided grin, "for you, Boy-Genius."

   Lifted by Mike's enthusiasm, Don mentally fought against himself that he HAD figured other things out before, and this one was just more of a challenge; but he had still won it. Wearing a smile identical to Mikey's, Donny chatted animatedly to his equally fun-loving bro about what new mischief Mikey could come up with, aided by Donny.

   They found themselves at their 'front door' in only a few minutes, talking had ceased as they encouraged the silence to hide their suspicious entrance as well as the shadows as they slid the manhole cover off and dropped below pavement level. Once the lid had been sealed again, they broke out into conversation, typical brotherly topics. When they reached the trapdoor that concealed the ladder, Mikey remembered something important that he and his brothers had not spoken about. But as Donny opened the small square door, and started to descend, Mike waited to tell him when they had both reached the floor of the Lair.

   "Were you gonna tell me something?" Donny asked, taking off his hat and hanging it up on the coat rack as Mikey did the same.

   Mikey looked up at his brother. "How did you know?"

   Don smiled. "I can tell; you always have that certain look on your face."

   Mikey took off his trench coat and hung it up with a smile. "Well, yeah, I was gonna say – and I can't believe I only just realized – that it's Leo's Birthday in about, what? Almost three weeks?"

   Donny looked around as though checking to make sure Leo wasn't there. "Yeah, I know."

   "What is it this time?" Mikey asked, walking with his brother down the steps. "A surprise party?"

   "For his sixteenth – yeah, I think so."

   Leo walked out of the dojo just then with a pair of Mikey's spare Nunchucks held under his arms. A thin layer of sweat filmed his shoulders and arms.

   "Think so what?" He asked, obviously having not heard the first part of Donny's sentence.

   Donny opened his mouth and uttered a long "IIII think I can get this date of the Eye figured before the weekend."

   Leo brightened. "Oh you're onto it already, that's great!" He wiped at the sweat on his beak with the back of his arm and hand.

   Mikey, stood a few steps behind Don, smiled in relief at Donny's quick cover-up. Leo turned to Mikey, flicking the beads of sweat from his hand.

   "Get any new DVDs?" He asked. He was panting ever so slightly, which meant he had only just been getting started on his solo spar.

   Mikey held up his new DVD, and Donny walked over to his lab, eager to see himself bring up the information that had been challenging him. It might only be a few pieces of information, but it didn't matter to Don, as long as he got it.

   Leo gave a single nod at the DVD in Mikey's held-up hand, and then announced he was returning to his practice, and that Mike could join him later if he wanted, after he had watched his movie.

   Splinter had now emerged from his quiet room, and was slightly surprised to feel a smile start to creep onto his features. Early this morning his sons had been acting strangely, but they recovered so quickly, and were now acting normal. Splinter was glad of this.

   Mikey moved towards the TV, where he bent down and inserted his new DVD in the player. He grabbed the remotes and jumped into the chair dubbed as Raph's, opposite Splinter's. While he been fiddling with the TV and DVD player, Splinter had walked into the open kitchen and made himself a hot, soothing, herbal tea, which he cupped in both hands and brought it closer to his nose, inhaling it for a second before making his way back to his room, where he would continue his meditation. Before he disappeared into his quarters, Mikey craned his neck back in Splinter's direction behind him, near the cars.

   "Sensei, where's Raph?" He asked. The TV before him was playing movie trailers.

   "I believe he is in his room," Splinter answered with a small smile, before closing his door behind him, into the dark room where only small, glowing candles illuminated the objects in there.

   Mikey turned his front torso around to look at his and Raph's car: The door was shut, not too strange for Raph, as he liked to be alone sometimes, just sitting in his room, doing whatever he does. Mikey never knew what that was.

   Figuring Raph might like to join Mike in watching the film, the orange masked turtle got to his feet and walked around the couch to his car door. He opened it and looked in to see his brother lying on his stomach, on Mikey's bed, playing on Mikey's gameboy. 

   Raph glanced up briefly before returning his eyes to his game. "Oh hey," he said.

   "Yo, hey – you look a bit red dude," Mikey pointed out. Even though they were green, the red flush could still be seen.

   "Yeah, I'm boiling," Raph said, giving one of his shoulders a shrug, while keeping his eyes on the game.

   "Well I got a new horror flick," Mikey told him. "Wanna watch it? I'm sure it's cooler in the Lair than in here."

   Raph switched the gameboy off, flung it on the bed and hauled himself into a standing position next to Mike.

   "Yeah sure," he agreed, with a half tilt of the head, half nod. Now closer, Mikey could see his brother did look hot.

   They both flopped down into their seats in the Lair, Mikey stretched out on the couch, Raph in his chair. Mike increased the volume with the remote, and they both sat there watching the film about a possessed dead corpse that liked to eat its own hand when it had the chance to show its disgusting manners. Mikey and Raph laughed at the bad make-up and effects, and at the typical damsel in distress, who was killed in a mortifying way.

   The film was an hour and forty minutes, in which time Leo had took a break from his practice to stand behind the couch, hands on hips, watching about five minutes worth before he disappeared back into the dojo. Donny had slammed his lab door shut ten minutes into the film, desperate to keep out noise, and keep in silence so he could think.

   After the movie ended, Mikey retrieved his DVD and placed it with the rest of his collection. Splinter, aware that the noise of the film had gone, took his place in his armchair after he had deposited his empty mug in the kitchen sink. Leo had finished his katas round about the same time the movie had finished, and stayed in the kitchen, leaning on the counter, thirstily gulping down milk from the carton. He made his dinner, two messy sandwiches, and watched from the kitchen the documentary that Splinter had decided to put on. Mikey sat on the couch watching too. He had ordered a pizza, and was waiting to go and direct the guy from his usual sewer grate. Raph was now occupying the dojo.

   It was coming up to afternoon by the time the documentary had finished, and when it did, Splinter suggested a little game that would tune up their senses, since they were all bored. He turned off the lights, and the entire Lair was pitch black; nothing could be seen, not even outlines.

   "This," came Splinter's voice from near the end of the couch, "is good for exercising our senses. Close your eyes, my sons, and open your inner sight. There are four sets of sticky yellow tags on the two small tables we have. The object of this activity is: you must first acquire one of these sets, and tag your fellow brothers on the shell without the other noticing. You will need to guide yourself around the furniture, and other objects in silence. This is a great time to put your developing stealth to action – Begin!"

   Silence hung in the air after this. Mikey, who had a laughing grin on his face with his eyes closed, started to creep to one of the dinky tables, guessing Leo might have already snatched his, and guessing Donny would know the rush to the table, and would have hung back. Where Splinter had moved to, he didn't know, but for some weird reason, even in this darkness, Mikey had the feeling their Sensei could still see them. Mikey noticed the bump in the floor, which he knew was near the table, and bent low to the ground, stretching out his arm for the surface. He found it with a brush against his finger, and a second later his hand closed around the small pieces of sticky paper tags. He drew back his hand, and, still crouch, slinked animal-like a few steps away, straining his ears for any sound. He heard the softest, quietest sound of something brushing against the annoying rug, as the end tassels stuck up. It must have been someone's foot. Mikey guessed the angle of which it had been walking towards, and crept around it. Yes, he could sense someone. With his grin returning, Mikey resisted the urge to tick more than one tag on the brother that he was sensing . . .

   "End!" Called Splinter two minutes later, and the lights flashed back on. Splinter was stood next to the light switch on the wall, quite still. He looked where his students were in the room. Michelangelo was stood a step or two behind Leo, who both looked at the other, surprised at the distance they were from each other. Donny was a about two meters away, near his own bedroom, and Raph was two meters away from him, stood near Splinter's armchair.

   "Aw man," Mikey said, turning his neck to look at the three yellow circle tags on his shell. He turned back to look at Leo's shell, which only had two tags.

   "Ha Raph, you got the same as me," Mikey teased, directing his eyes to Raph's three-tagged shell.

   Donny, it turned out, had no tags stuck to his shell, which surprised everyone that he had none, and Leo had two.

   "Well done, Donatello," Splinter praised a smiling Don. "That was the first, and I did not expect too much. We will try again, and concentrate of muting your own movements, Michelangelo, rather than tagging others."

   They replayed this little game again, and after the same amount of time of two minutes, Splinter called for them to stop, and switched the lights back on. He too had joined in, but he was too silent for them to have known, and of course, he had no tags on his fur. Michelangelo had two this time, and seemed slightly proud of that; Leonardo had none, a feeling of great achievement on his features; Donatello had one; and Raph had three, again.

   "Raphael, you are not learning," Splinter spoke wisely when they had taken their tags off their shells. "I could hear your clumsy footing from here, certainly not like you, my son.

   Raph was titling his head, an almost wincing expression on his face. "Yeah, I know,  I'm just not - I'm not feeling too good, that's all." He hadn't felt like saying that, but it was better than have his brothers think he was lousy at this game.

   "Excuses, Harp!" Mikey tormented, breathing out the 'H' on Harp.

   Leo frowned. "Harp?"

   Donny was rolling his eyes, a groaning smile on his face. "Mike's being stupid, rearranging Raph's name around," he looked at Mikey, "Kimey!"

   Raph snorted, laughing. "Ha, Mike, you're a girl."

   Mikey glared humorously at Donny, who was chuckling. "Oh shut up . . . Nydon – or Yonnd!" Leo let out a small laugh, and Mikey turned to him, smiling. "And you? Er . . . Ole, hah, or Elo – " Mikey laughed. " – or Loe! Leo dude, you're loe."

   All three brothers were laughing at the expression on Leo's face, which was glaring at Mike with narrow eyes, while trying not to laugh himself.

   By the end of the day, rearranged names were forgotten and Leo and Mike were watching a comedy on TV, along with Splinter. The main lights were off and the candles had been lit. It gave them the feeling of nighttime, since there was no dark sky and twinkling stars down there to convince them what time of day it was. Donny was in his lab, and Raph was in the dojo; though he wasn't practicing. He was watching the punch bag swing from his hold. He didn't feel like punching it, which was weird. He found himself telling him that he had some bug or something, because his cheeks were burning, and his head was throbbing, as though his brain had swelled in his skull. Feeling bored, he left the dojo and stepped into Don's room. His brother was leant forwards, one hand on the mouse, while his head rested on his folded arm, staring up at the screen.

   "Guess you haven't found anything then?" Raph asked as he walked further in.

   Don lifted his head from his arm and looked as his brother sat down on the computer desk next to him.

   "Nada," Don sighed. "I just keep getting the same information over and over again with every search I do." He could hear Mikey and Leo laughing from the couch. It must have been something funny because Don doesn't often hear Leo laugh that hard. Don smiled at their laughter, and then caught a glimpse of Raph's dark cheeks before he, too, turned to look at the door, listening to the laughing.

   "What the hell are they watching?" He asked.

   Donny didn't answer his question. Instead he said," Hey, are you feeling alright?"

   His brother turned to look at him. "Yeah," he lied. "Why?"

   "You look really flushed . . ."

   Raph paused. "I do?" Damn, he was hoping no one could notice. He hated everyone making a fuss when he felt the tiniest bit ill or sick.

   "Yeah, do you feel hot? I read in my medic book, and in my Reptile Keeping, which is massive, that . . ."

   Don voice faded in Raph mind as he shut it out. _There goes Don again_. He made up his mind and stood up as Donny was still babbling away about something called Soft Shell, which he managed to explain just before Raph shut him up that it happened to turtles who didn't eat the right proteins and stuff. Or so Raph thought that was what he heard.

   "I'm going for a walk, see you later," he interrupted Donny, who sounded as though he was educating adults. Before Don could argue he walked out into the lair, where Leo and Mikey were laughing again, shoulders shaking, eyes screwed up. Before Splinter could ask him where he was going, Raph had grabbed his coat and hat, and before putting them on, disappeared into the sewer tunnels, through the small exit behind the ladder, next to two doors at the back that they didn't use. These tunnels took a long way around before they eventually lead to a manhole.

   Donny walked out of his lab a second later, watching Leo and Mikey grin at the TV. Splinter looked up as Donny joined them.

   "Where has Raphael gone?" He asked his son. He did not usually ask, but it was late, and Raph left earlier to spend the whole night out.

   Don shrugged. "A walk."

   "Have you not found any of your information yet?"

   Wondering how his Sensei knew that he was even looking, Donny shook his head. He felt, he himself, could go for a good night's stroll to clear his head, and get away from the computer. He felt like a best friend had betrayed him big time. Don turned his attention to the TV, and before he knew it he was laughing along with Leo and Mike.

//

The four turtles were not the only teenagers up late at night. Alone in her huge house, Prida felt as restless as they did sometimes. And, like they, she liked to exercise her energy, and it did not matter if it was night. Her neighborhood was not a bad one, but even she was not stupid enough to take a stroll at night. Instead she had another plan, but if her sister knew, she would not be happy. Her sister, at this minute, was not in her bed asleep, where she should be; she was on her Honeymoon, in Egypt with Korey. She had been gone for two days, but she was not due back home until two weeks. Their honeymoon was extended into a holiday, as after Egypt, they would go to Somerset in England, where their parents had gone on their honeymoon, and from where their father originated. It left Prida feeling slightly lonely, but at other times, she could have the stereo on as loud as she wished, could fix whatever she wanted in the kitchen and make a mess, and watch whatever she liked as late as she wanted. Smiling because of her mischievousness, Prida glanced her sister's car keys, hanging from a wooden key rack in the shape of a padlock, brought back by Korey after he had come from Spain to visit his Uncle.

   "Oh, what the heck," she said to herself, and snatched the keys from the hook. Korey's dad owned a water ski lake just out of New York in the countryside, and because there was no one about, and the gravel roads were long, and overhung by trees, she had been allowed to drive around in Korey's dad's truck where she had perfected her bad driving; thud giving her the confidence to know believe she could ride her sister's car, this night, just around the block. It was late, no one would see her, and because of its well-behaved occupants, cops hardly ever patrolled the neighborhood. 

   It was a beautiful night; black sky, clear of clouds so the stars were shown. Prida locked her house door, as she new she should despite the niceness of the neighbors, pocketed them and unlocked her sister's blue car.

   _Just a slow drive around the block,_ she thought as she started the engine. _Clear my head, not that it needs clearing. It's too boring in there, no more movies to watch – _she had watched Men In Black 2 so many times already after renting it twice –_ no new music to listen to –_ she had listened to all of her CDs so many times she was sick of them – _and . . . no one to talk to. So a nice quiet drive around the block will be a change, this later at night anyway, and no one to see on the way –_ thinking of Tooks, who was everywhere she always went. _Yep, no one to bump into . . ._


	5. Hit And Keep

Undiscovered Power

~

Danceingfae: I SO wish you wud stop reading my mind!! You keep giving my story plots away! Lol. Note to myself; learn Occlumency ( - from Harry Potter) to keep my mind locked safe from psychics! And in response to your review of the 3rd chapter, there's no exchange of letters, no phone calls *evil grin* they think she's dead, and she thinks their dead. Evil feel so guuud!

Lenni: You get your million bucks ;)

**Donny's note**: _Coccyx is the last bone of the spine, or otherwise known as the tailbone for those who don't know. In this chapter it is used as a different noun for the backside._

~

After only a few minutes of leaving the sewers, Raph was running through an alleyway at top speed, with the cool night air skimming across his face pleasantly against the burning flush. Not far behind, in close pursuit, were five crooks, shouting and jeering angrily as they followed, having noticed Raph as soon as he had tuned a corner and come face to face with these five. They had remembered Casey from when he and Raph first burst in on their latest hold-up in the small antique store, and had remembered him at their house. So when they first glanced at Raph in his same trench coat and fedora, one of them had yelled "Hey – that's one of 'em!" Had he been feeling himself he would have stayed and took them down, not even put off by the guns two of them held. But tonight, he felt like teasing them, letting them chase him. He was laughing as they did, because he knew they would never catch him, there were wasting their energy for nothing, and besides, they were only after him so they could get their precious Eye artifact back, which Raph did not have on him. Even though he knew they would never catch him, he did have to run his fastest to keep a good distance ahead. The strong-jawed male leader was hot on his tail, as was the woman, determined to get their stolen possession back. But however fast they thought they were, they had not got the long lasting energy as Raph had to run on and on, and soon they had begun to slow down. They had stopped at the end of a very long, clustered alleyway, bent over with their hands on their knees, watching as Raph stopped and watched them from a distance, with a arrogant grin about his face. Though it disappeared slowly as his senses flared, and a distant roar of an engine met his ears. He knew what that was by the look of the two faces at the other end of the alleyway. He should have known these crooks would do whatever they could to get their hands on power. 

   His suspicions were confirmed when a car skidded into the alleyway behind him, slightly losing its friction and turning at an angle to the dark brick wall, before regaining its control and aiming straight for the turtle, who was caught in-between the two at the end and the car.

   Raph turned his body to face the car that was speeding towards him. He could just see the faces of the other three crooks, laughing manically at him. He watched it rapidly eat the distance between them, and he took a few steps forward, towards it, before breaking into a run. He could see their faces now; their laughs were dying and their smiles were to be replaced by frowns as the yards became meters. Not even eight meters apart, Raph leaped into the air, landing on the bonnet, and jumped onto the roof of the car. The crooks inside leant forward over the steering wheel, looking up as Raph's green foot disappeared over them. Raph then jumped off the car, rolled to his feet, and ran out of the alleyway the way the car had come from. Knowing it could back up and follow him, he put on his extra speed, now wanting to lose them for good instead of teasing them. He felt terrible with his head throbbing painfully, and decided at once to go straight home. 

   He entered a narrow alleyway, turning sideways to squeeze passed a dumpster. He would have to go around to find a manhole; he couldn't risk running into those idiots again. The alleyway he was in at the minute had steam rising eerily from grates in the ground near the building they belonged to. He ran through the warm steam, which was welcome to his cold, clammy hands, but not to his face, which was burning hot. He ran out of the alleyway, into a back street, more like an alleyway than a street, but it had a small road nonetheless. He had only glimpsed his surroundings, though, before there was a split second of screeching car wheels, and his breath was suddenly knocked from his body as pain shot through him, before he realized his feet were no longer on the floor, and he was unconscious.

//

   Prida let out a small half scream, half gasp as her car threw her forward when she slammed on the brakes, and as it rocked when she hit something. She sat up straight and rigid, eyes wide, mouth open as she just saw the figure land against the front of a dumpster a good few meters away. Her heart raced as her brain numbed with shock. She had just hit someone!

   Prida, still staring at the unmoving figure, fumbled for the release of her seat belt. She forced it back, and, leaving the car running, she opened her door and stepped out, eyes never leaving the figure. She realized she had been holding her breath, and she let it out, breathing in sharp and quick. Her eyes raked over the figure's trench coat, and the hat that had been thrown to the side of them. She could not see the face at this distance because their arm was over their cheek, and it was too dark. She felt she should be moving quicker, but then she found herself thinking quickly that she should be phoning for an ambulance. She glanced about quickly for a pay phone, but there was not one down this small back road.

   Chest rising and falling more than usual, she opened her mouth and said in a shaky voice, "Hello . . . c-can you hear me?"

   The figure did not move or give any sign of a response. Prida, feeling slightly stronger after her shock had calmed down, took an extensive step next to the figure's covered legs, and crouched down, planting her hands on the hard, bumpy tarmac to steady herself. She reached with one hand to feel for a pulse, but when her eyes lay on the hand on the arm of which the body was lying on, she froze, staring at it. Her heart froze for a second too, as her open mouth took in a very shallow, slow breath. The hand of which she was staring at was . . . green . . . with three fingers . . . Her brow furrowed very slightly above her wide, dark purple eyes, and they dashed over the trench coat twice before they rested on the arm that was blocking her view of the head. With a totally confused, shocked brain, she slowly reached out her hand that had been suspended in the air, having made to check for a pulse on the figure's hand. She didn't realize how cold her own were as she gingerly took hold of the trench coat sleeve material and pulled it away from the face; but as her eyes saw the face, she let the arm drop to the side of the body and with a quiet gasp she fell onto her backside and scuttled away, eyes on the face. She stopped only a few feet away, her face now contorted into shocked disbelief as her wide eyes never left the green features on the head. Still sat on her coccyx with her knees bent and her arms out behind her, her chest heaved and her breaths came out long, her eyes skimmed the cheeks until they rested on the strip of material around the closed eyelids . . . the red strip of material . . . Prida's slight frown lifted and her eyebrows rose slowly higher. She slowly pushed herself onto her knees and crawled back over to the face she had last seen four months ago. Her brain wasn't really working, but all she knew at this moment was that this figure had been running a second before she had knocked him down, meaning he – had been – alive . . . Unable to muster the power to speak, she mouthed the words "Oh my God . . ." while she breathed out. She stretched out her hand again, reaching for the face; but she withdrew it slightly, as though he had stirred. Seemingly getting a firmer hold over her shaken self, she stretched her arm out again, and her hand slowly touched the warm cheeks of her best friend. She let out a breath of relieved sadness as she confirmed to herself that he was real. Her mouth worked into a very sad, grim smile as she very slowly rubbed her thumb against the cheek. For some reason she looked away, at the ground a few feet away, as though looking through it; but she brought her eyes back to her friend; shock remained, but now she knew she had to get him off the road, and somewhere safe . . .

//

   Donny yawned widely as he shut down his computer. He stretched his arms above his head and sat back in his chair, which tipped backwards and his weight pushed against it. Closing his mouth, Don got off his chair and walked out of his lab, shutting the door behind him. He remained facing the door for a few seconds, motionless, before he turned his head and looked at the file cabinet next to him against the wall. He stepped in front of it, and pulled open the second draw, taking out the Eye artifact. He looked at the two symbols in the twisting metal, and thought about what Raph had told him. After a few seconds, he heard movement behind him and looked over his shoulder at Leo.

   "Hey, what you doin' up?" Donny asked. He was usually the last one up because of the time he spent on his computer; apart from Raph of course. He put the Eye of Yailea back inside the draw, and closed it.

   "Oh I was just – " Leo said, then stopped and waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind, I was just waiting to see if Raph was back yet."

   Donny nodded silently, watching his brother in the dying candlelight. Splinter had retired to bed quite a while ago, and Mikey had copied shortly after, tiredly moaning he was very sleepy. Donny had remained on his computer all night.

   "I doubt you'll get anything," said Leo, sounding tired himself. It was quite late. "From the computer, you'd 'ave found it by now."

   Donny gave a thoughtful noise. "Maybe, but maybe not. Anyway, I'm going to bed," he announced, and made towards his and Leo's room.

   Leo seemed to think about whether he should or not, but after a massive yawn decided he should too. He walked after his brother, and as he was closing their car door to, he turned to Don, who was climbing into his bottom bunk.

   "Why did Raph suddenly take off earlier?" He asked, as though this was nothing to worry about.

   Donny shrugged as Leo climbed onto his bed to reach his own. "I dunno . . . he did look slightly red in the face . . . I've already been thinking that he's probably caught a cold or something. And I know the reason for that; after he got back with you and Casey from stealing the Eye artifact he didn't drink that soup I made, nor did he even wrap himself in that blanket to warm himself up. I think maybe that's why he went out, to cool down."

   Leo was silent from the top bunk. The springs had stopped groaning under his weight and movement, and Don couldn't even hear him breathing. Then his brother spoke.

   "D'ya think he'll be alright then? Topside? I don't know as much as you do about the effects of colds, and the cold temperature on our turtle bodies . . ."

   Donny dug the back of his head into the pillow. "Well, I'm sure he'll come home soon, he's not that stupid to be out with a cold. He'll be alright tomorrow, but I'll check him out just to make sure it's nothing bad . . ."

()()()()

   Prida snapped her eyes open the following morning and lifted her head from her numb arm, in her flannelette bed-shirt and normal daywear shorts, her typical night attire. She was on the end of her old bed, in the basement. And boy was she lucky she had asked her sister not to throw it away, but to store it in the basement, which Prida had turned into a cool room, even though the walls were bare and there were still one or two spider webs in the corners. But while she was curled on the end of the bed, the mutant turtle she had managed to get home was laid under the duvet, still unconscious. Prida had expected herself to wake up this morning and find it had all been one of her feverish dreams. She had had many nightmares and dreams in which her four best friends were still alive; some of them ended suddenly, some of them ended horribly, none ended nice. And so, when she noticed her friend under the bedcovers she had laid upon him late last night, she could not stop the sudden and violent fluttering in her chest. He was real! He was alive! Could it mean the others had survived? Or was it just Raph who had lived the explosion? Maybe he and just one other made it, then again maybe he and two others. But then, what if this was a completely different guy who she thought it was? What if there was another mutant, who wore Raph's bandanna to respect the being who died? Of course not! But then . . . how is he still here? He was dead, she had not heard of him for four months! Just WHAT had happened? Many questions rose in her head until she could no longer listen to them. She emptied her mind, and blinked herself back into reality, looking at the green head of her friend. Putting questions that refused to be ignored aside, she began to think there was something wrong with him. His cheeks were red and flushed, burning to the touch, and she knew enough about turtles to know there were cold-blooded. She did not know whether to cover him, or to leave him uncovered on top of the bed. She had taken off his trench coat, and left it at the end of the bed, and had left a bowl of cool water on the small bedside table, and a cool washcloth on his forehead. She had not been able to do much (not that she could) last night as it had been late, and she had not been able to worry too greatly because she was exhausted after dragging him from the car into the house; yet she did not get to sleep too easily.

   Knowing there was nothing else she could do, but to wait for him to wake (her heart beat incredibly fast at this thought), Prida slid of the bed and, with a look at the unconscious turtle, walked around the wall (the bed was placed in a sort of cubby, separated from the stairs by a wall, of which the stairs were against), and jogged up the stairs to the basement door. She jogged through her large house into the kitchen, where she jumped, skittish-like, as the phone in the kitchen started to ring. She walked over to it and picked up the receiver.

   "Hello?" She said as she placed it against the side of her head.

   "Hey sweetie!" Mai's voice spoke happily from the other end.

   "Oh hi Mai!" Prida said, the smile on her face was only half hearty because of her shocking meeting with a dead friend.

   "How ya doing all by yourself?" He sister was clearing smiling by her tone. "Having a great time without me? Partying?"

   Prida gave a small short laugh. "No parties yet. How's Egypt? And you're new husband? Divorced yet?"

   Her sister laughed this time, though it was longer and cheerier than Prida's. "Egypt's absolutely great! It's boiling over here, we're going to see the pyramids in two days! And Korey is great too – I've sent a postcard yesterday, hope you get it soon – I wish you were here, it's really great – we'll have to bring you another day – Oh, Korey says 'Hi Kiddo'!"

   "Hi Korey!" Prida said back. She could hear her sister repeating the message to her husband. Then her sister's voice returned to her.

   "Hey, I hope you're not crashing the place, otherwise I'll just have to reconsider giving you any gift that we've bought for you – oh, gotta go Pri! We'll be in England in four days, I'll send ya another postcard form there – and have plenty of friends around if you want, I'd rather you weren't on your own all the time, but I know you're capable – Korey stop that! – I'll try and talk again soon, but these phone bills are terrible! See ya in a week and a half, bye Prida!" There was a click, and the dead dial tone droned on.

   Prida smiled and put down the phone. She WOULD invite friends around, if she hadn't of thought they had been dead. Roxanne had come round yesterday, but she had gone home earlier because she had homework to finish. Then Prida's heart jolted: She couldn't go to school tomorrow (today was a spare day off school for some reason)  – she had to stay here – look after her dead fri – her LIVE friend! Plus, the memories of going to school with the four quads, and now having seen one of them was bound to effect her school work tomorrow, no doubt about it. She just still couldn't believe it. She wasn't sure whether her brain had actually accepted the fact that she had just brought home one of her best friends, who she had thought dead for four months. What would he say when he woke up? She realized with another, cold jolt that they had obviously thought she was dead too, otherwise they would have come to tell her they were alright. Or had they wanted to remained non-existent, as they had wanted to before she had guessed what they were? No, they had been the best friends she had ever had, they wouldn't do that. Questions invaded her mind again, and she clutched her head, wincing. She had never felt so confused, so shocked, so surprised and so happy in her entire life. Was she sure she had not dreamt the whole thing? No! It was real! – Finally her brain started to believe her eyes, and the shock that had filled her last night seemed to have returned for some reason. This was not a dream that she had been having for four months, this was not her imagination, this was not a trick of eyes, fooling her into believing it was a mutant turtle when in fact it could be a total stranger downstairs in her basement right now . . . it was Raphael, one of the guys she had made such good friends with she had begun to think it wasn't true. But it had been true, and it was true now. But with yet another jolt she suddenly had a horrible feeling that when he woke, would he remember her? Of course he would, she had been his best friend too, beside his brothers. But had the impact of the car and the pavement, plus the dumpster, had an effect on his memory? It was something unlikely, but if possible, she would have to wait until he woke to find out. 

   Bringing herself out of her thoughts realm, she realized why she was in the kitchen in the first place. She had come to get some breakfast, but she found herself not hungry. She waved a hand at the kitchen counter, where she prepares all her foods, as though motioning to someone to forget it. Then she turned and walked back out of the kitchen, and back into the basement, almost tripping on the last step that spiraled away from the wall in her haste to get down them. For some reason she desired nothing more than to be down in the cool basement, watching Raph as he slept. She walked a slightly slower pace than usual around the wall and immediately directed her eyes to one of the faces she had been dreaming about, thankful that as of now, maybe the bad dreams might go away. She still had dreams about her own ordeal that brought her awake in a breathless jolt almost as much as those about her friends did.

   Prida sat down on the bed next to where Raph's arm would be by his side under the covers, and took the flannel from his forehead. She then looked down upon his face, and her eyebrows turned inwards and up as she thought sadly about how she had missed him and his brothers so much. She tore her locked eyes away and to the bowl on the small table. She drenched the washcloth again, wrung it out, and applied it to his forehead again. How long would he be out? She didn't know. But she was sure as hell going to be here when he did.

//

   It was ten in the morning, and the occupants of the lair were worried.

   "He would have come home last night if he was feeling bad," Leo stressed on, pacing with his open hands suspended in front of him, jerking them as he spoke. He paced behind the couch, as Mikey and Splinter watched him. Donny had his arms crossed, sat against the arm of Splinter's chair while staring at the floor in thought.

   "And he doesn't usually stay out ALL night, especially when he hasn't been busting heads with Casey," Leo continued. Then he stopped his pacing and looked up from the floor. "D'y' think he WAS with Casey last night?"

   "We'll phone him and ask," Mikey said at once. He stood from Raph's chair, and walked over to the phone where he started to dial a number that was on paper, stuck to the wall with sellotape.

   Leo looked back from Mikey to Splinter and Donny. Leo decided to change the subject.

   "Have you found anything at all on the Eye of Yailea?"

   Donny shook his head. Before they had come to the conclusion that Raph had not been back home at all he had again buried himself in his computer work. He had stopped, of course, when Leo and Mikey had checked the lair for Raph, and when realizing he wasn't there, suggested he might have taken a walk. But Mikey informed them that he had not heard anyone come in last night, or leave this morning, and when they checked Raph's bunk, it was found that his bed had been untouched.

   " . . . yeah, thanks away, Case," Mikey's voice floated from the side of them. He hung the receiver and walked back to their small assembly in the middle of the lair. "Negative, Casey was not with Raph last night."

   Leo's turned slowly from looking at Mike to Donny, then returned to Mikey. "Mike, was Raph acting strange yesterday? Notice anything weird about him?"

   Mikey was tempted to crack a joke about this, but held it back. "No, nothing strange . . . except, he did look a bit hot; flushed when he was playing my gameboy."

   Leo turned to Donny again, as though waiting for his conformation about the cold they suspected their brother had.

   Donny nodded. "Feeling hot with flushed cheeks is a direct symptom to a common cold, but . . . I'm fearing it might be worse . . ."

   Splinter's heart sank slightly. He knew it was not the warmest weather out there, and with a cold added on to the temperature was not good, along with the amount of time his son had spent out there.

   "Raphael had not been feeling well in my exercise yesterday," he spoke up. "I suggest you go to find him, I do not believe he would stay away from home with a cold, so I feel he may not have been able to come home."

   His sons stared at him, but then Leo ordered them to get themselves geared up, and they left less than a minute later. When they had left, Splinter sunk into meditation, hopeful it might tell him something.

   Though, after three hours of searching, three brothers returned home with no luck. They had searched every street, alleyway, pizzeria and park where Raph usually picked to get into brawls whenever he felt he needed to clean up the place of scum, or in the cause of the pizzeria, to get some food. They even followed Leo to a massive mansion, belonging to the crooks they had stolen the artifact from; thinking maybe they had captured Raph and now held him prisoner until he gave up their item in question. But having heard snips of conversation from the jungle of a garden as they closed in, they found out that Raph was not with them, but that it seemed that they had seen him last night, and failed to catch him. Taking that as good news that Raph had still been up and running late last night, they left slightly less worried than before; only slightly though. And on returning home to the lair, they informed their Sensei of what they had heard. They had returned home only because of the fact that it had started to chuck it down with rain after the sky had turned rather dark. The rain had chilled them off uncomfortably, cutting their time out in the cold, and Donny had said they had searched enough, and that they could not stay out much longer.

   "We should wait for it to stop raining before we search again," Donny said as they sat in front of the electric fire he had moved out of his lab and into the main area. "Unless he returns home by himself. If not, then we should take it in turns."

   Agreeing, they all settled with their hot mugs, and the warm electric fan heater blowing the air onto their skin, that was flecked with raindrops. Donny had only just finished his mug before he was standing, announcing that he wanted to return to his computer, having a 'feeling' about his luck with the information he was having so hard a time to find. Half an hour after Donny had stepped out of the comfortable warm breeze of the heater, Leo had stood with his empty mug, and said he was going to search for his missing brother again, saying, unlike Don, he had a bad feeling. Mikey was left with Splinter to watch a boring documentary on the Stick Insect and other invertebrates. April was at work, and so they had not called on her for help in searching, but they had managed to get Casey away from the TV, and help out, concerned as he was for his pal.

   An hour after Leo had left, Donny pulled up something on his computer off the Internet and he sat upright in his chair as he read his newly found information. A half smile crept onto his features as he continued to read, click and type more.

   //

   It was now 2:40 as Prida glanced at her clock in the kitchen. She was making herself some toast after her hunger had got the better of her, having not eaten anything all day, and her friend still had not stirred or made any indication he was arising from his unconscious state. Fear had clamped down on her heart as an absurd thought popped into her head: What if Raph had gone into a coma like she had? The thought had only entered her brain before she pushed it away, but she was slightly afraid for him all the same. Who wouldn't be after they had just run one of their supposedly 'dead' friends down?

   After eating her toast, which had no enjoyable taste to it at the minute, she returned to the basement again. It was quite comfy down there, because there was no garbage or any old junk; all that was kept in their garage.

   She wet the washcloth again and returned it to Raph's forehead, tracing the back of her fingers down to his burning check. She pressed her hand on it, trying to cool it off, and as she did so, the smallest grunt mingled with his breath escaped his nostrils, and she paused her hand. He did not utter anything else, nor did he move, and she let out her held breath.

   A sudden muffled knocking made her tear her eyes away and look up, wondering what it was. A second later her brain seemed to kick her and remind her that it was a knocking on the door; and, detangling herself from the lose bed sheets and replacing them over Raph properly, she hurried over to the basement stairs and ran up them to the door, reaching her kitchen just as the banging sounded again. Who could be at the door at THIS point in her week, just when she had someone extremely special she was looking after. She flew to the front door, unlocked it, released the bolt and opened it a foot. Her heart stopped fluttering rapidly as she sighed and pulled the door open a bit more, she should have known who it would be, he hardly left her alone now.

   "Jo," she sighed, as she recognized the familiar handsome features and the tidy black hair.

   A smile grew on his rain-flecked face. "Babe –"

   "Tooks," she warned.

   "Prida then," he said. He knew she hated to be called 'babe', just as he didn't like how she called him Tooks now and again. "How ya doin', sweet thing? I thought you'd be lonely with your sister gone." 

   He stepped into her house, and her heart started pounding again. He was better behaved with her ever since her coma, but with him AND Raph in the house – what if he somehow saw Raph? No, she would keep him away from the basement. She closed the door behind him. Even though he was better behaved, she still felt slightly uncomfortable alone with him.

   "May I ask why you're around here today?" She asked, a small, falsely sweet smile on her face.

   Tooks leant on the wall and smiled back, only his was a genuine I'm-in-love-with-you smile. Prida became aware that she was still in her nightwear.

   "I'm staying at my uncles for a few days while my dad refurbishes my room. Jake, my uncle, lives just across the street."

   "Really?" Prida's heart sank, and she couldn't help the discontent tone creeping in her voice. Fortunately Tooks didn't seem to have noticed.

   "Yep, dad was promoted, so I just dropped by to tell you you're welcome round my uncles anytime if ya feel lonely . . . "

   He treated her delicately, as though she was really his girlfriend and he had to protect her from sick guys at school or around town. But in his tone and the air about his smile, he was still Tooks, slightly bigheaded and mean to other people, and smug about his good looks, and his fortune to 'think' he had Prida.

   "Right, yeah," Prida said with little enthusiasm. "If I feel lonely . . ."

   Tooks smiled and moved back around her to the door, dark spots still on his shirt where rain drops had soaked in. He put his hand on the handle while looking at her.

   "Wanna go get a pizza wiv'me? On roller-blades? Well, you'll have to change first." He grinned and gave her an up and down eyebrow jerk.

   "Oh, no thanks T – Jo," she shook her head and displayed disagreement on her features. "I'm not feeling too good." It was lame, but she HAD to say in the house, she couldn't leave Raph. And it was raining outside, and she herself didn't fancy the risk of catching a cold.

   Took's grin vanished and he showed a look of concern. "You okay – you want me to stay?"

   She smiled at his concern (which he did not show for anyone else), and shook her head. "Nah, it's okay, I'm – I'll be fine."

   He gave her a searching look, then nodded and opened the door. "See ya later then, Pri," and he turned and walked out into the now heavier downpour.

   Sighing in relief of having gotten him out the house, Prida closed the door against the drumming rain and leant onto it. Then she turned with her back against the wall and looked into her house. She had just imagined her friend to be stood there, awake and fine. But her imagination played hell with her since the accident of four months ago, and she hated it for bringing her false happiness. Prida stood up straight and ran back to the basement, quietly jogging down the stairs. She walked around the wall and stopped as she looked at her friend. Had he moved? She was sure his head had been leaning on his right cheek, as it was now on the left. Yes – the washcloth had fallen off his forehead out of view. She walked over to him, sat on the bed and leant over his head. The washcloth was crumpled up next to his forehead on the pillow.

   Prida heart did a double beat and quicken its pace, she felt like doing nothing other than sitting here and watching her friend, awake or not. It felt like an obsession, one that she had to make up for, for all those months of missing him and his brothers. She realized that her heart did not feel . . . as warm as usual, and she realized that, after this time, she was still in shock of finding her friend – the luck of, should she put it, 'running into him'! She felt so many emotions deep inside her, but she just couldn't pay attention to them, her whole focus was on her mutant friend.

//

   "Nada, dudes," Mikey announced sadly, as he walked in from his search topside. He had replaced Leo as soon as his brother had returned, and was now taking off his soaked coat and fedora with his cold hands. He dashed to the electric fan heater and dropped down in front of it. "That's better," he muttered.

   "Donny, you're up," Leo called from the kitchen to Don's lab, where he was still on his computer. Leo walked back to Mike with a mug of something warm; with Leo it was always difficult to tell what it was, but if it was a simple concoction, it was always good, and Mikey was thankful as he took it from Leo, and slurped it down slowly.

   Donny appeared from his lab, a deep, pensive expression on his face, with one arm hugging his plastron, the other resting on that with his head on his thumb and forefinger. He stopped a few feet from his door.

   "In spite of the unfortunate mystery of Raph's disappearance," he said, "I have some good news on the information I have been searching for."

   Leo did not move, though he was listening intently, and Mikey stopped slurping to listen.

   Donny continued, "Well, I HAVE been able to find out a rough time of when this artifact was created, and then I had to search through Astrology sites and bases on the Net to find out which day was an exact mirror of the night sky – the stars and planet aliments – and I have got a good enough answer. Unfortunately I could not get an exact DAY, or week, or even month, but I was able to find out that the time of which our planets and stars were at the same point in the sky, were in one certain year. It was exactly fifteen years ago . . . the year in which we were born . . ."

   Leo stared at his brother, and then said, "So . . . whoever was born fifteen years ago, our age, is the person who this Eye of Yailea belongs to?"

   "Correct," Donny said with a short nod.

   Mikey glanced at Leo's thoughtful face before looking back at Donny.

   "So, can this artifact . . . belong to one of us?" He asked slowly.  "I mean – we ARE special . . . we're not normal, are we?"

   Leo looked at Mikey as Donny thought about this. The silence was unusually tense.

   "I don't know, Mikey," Donny said, honestly, slightly quieter than he was meant to say. Then he thought he should make something said. "Raph said . . . he recognized the symbols, on the metal," Don looked from Mikey to Leo. "He said he'd seen them before . . ." He was going to say WHERE Raph thought he had seen them, but then Mikey's spoke.

   "Well – it could be Raph then," he said. "Couldn't it? If he's seen them before, he could have seen them in a dream or something . . . couldn't he?"

   Donny watched his brother and then shook his head. "I don't . . . think so. I want to search further on this, I believe there is still more information on it."

   Leo nodded. "Why don't you carry on with that and I'll go search up top again." He walked up the steps to the coat rack. "We could be worrying about nothing, you know; Raph might be fine, he's more than capable." With that he threw his coat on, took his hat and disappeared up the ladder.

   Donny stared after him for a few seconds, then Mikey watched him walk back into his lab. Mikey wanted very much to talk to Splinter about the recent discussion, but his Sensei was mediating in his room, and Mike did not like to disturb him. Instead, he sat back on his hunches and stared at the heater, with his mug cupped in both hands.

//

   _Okay, it's now 3:15 and you're still in your nightclothes,_ Prida scowled herself. She knew she should get changed, but she didn't want to leave her place on the bed. Most people would have thought it incredibly boring sat in a basement all morning and most of the day, but she had plenty to think about, tons of questions that queued to be answered, and she found it by no means boring to watch her friend as his chest rose and fell so quietly. She was, if she allowed herself to say, fascinated, not just by the fact that he was not normal, no that was only a small percentage; but that he was here, sleeping peacefully (or so she hoped) in someone's house, who he himself probably thought was dead. This would explain the small smile on her face.

   Shaking her thoughts away long enough to get her brain to decide to change her outfit, she stood up, stared down at the head on the pillow, and turned to walk up the stairs. She walked from the basement door after she had climbed the steps, and through her house to the staircase that led upstairs. As she climbed them, she remembered taking Raph up here to show him the picture of her parents. It had been a rainy day, just like today, but it had been darker then; at the minute it was quite light. She walked past the landing window to her own big room, with its own bay window. The curtains were still closed from last night before she had taken the car out, giving her room a slightly darker look. She was tempted to take a shower, but she didn't know if, while she was taking the time to wash her hair, Raph might wake up, and she did not want him to find himself alone. But, for some reason, before she undressed, she ran back down her stairs, through her large rooms, and back down the basement stairs, where she stopped and looked at the figure under the duvet. He did not look like he would be waking in a few minutes, for some reason she could tell. So she jogged back up the steps, through the house, and returned back to her room breathing slightly hard. She grabbed her clothes and made her way down the hall to her bathroom, in where she shut the door behind her, started the shower, and started to get undressed.

   The hot water against her skin was both soothing and relaxing. The cold shock that had gripped her chest was rushed away as the water streamed down the drain. The mirrors in the bathroom were steamed from the heat. It was a tackle washing such long hair, but in no time she was hurriedly pulling on her clothes, and patting her hair to keep it from dripping. Then she walked back to his bedroom, pulled open the curtains and stared at the rain as it fell in streams down her window. She found herself remembering how her tears had acted just the same, every night for weeks after she had thought her friends had been killed; tears running in streams down her face, a never-ending flow. She was surprised to find that there was a single tear rolling down her cheek . . . a tear of happiness.


	6. The Feature Of Yailea

Undiscovered Power

~

   Prida turned from her window after wiping the tear from her cheek, and found herself looking at her reflection in her full-sized mirror. After her shower she had donned a pair of plain, blue jeans, and one of Korey's blue checkered buttoned shirts, rolled up many times at the sleeves so they only just hid her elbows. Typical tomboy she found herself thinking. Her hair was still dripping from the shower, and she carelessly squeezed it out onto her bedroom floor. Then she made her way to her door, jumping the two steps leading into her bedroom, down the stairs, through the house again, and down the basement stairs, where she sat down on Raph's bed, or should she say, her old bed. She began to think about the situation she was in. She could not leave the house in case he woke and she really wanted to be there when he would, no matter how hard it made her heart thump against her ribcage.

   "Oh, hey wait a minute," she said quietly to herself, looking down at the floor. A thought had just occurred to her, and she got to her feet to leave the basement; but before she did she quickly drenched the washcloth on Raph's forehead and replaced it. Then she dashed up the basement stairs, through the house for the uncountable time, back up the stairs and into her room. She walked over to her dressing table and pulled out one of the two top wooden draws. Inside was not clothes, but odd things for a teenager girl, like three flashlights, all different sizes; two tennis balls; a silver slinky; a couple of letters about banking details which she didn't know why she had; a note pad and drawing pad; a gameboy with its adapter and battery pack; a small working model of a car; two small stop watches; a pack of photos, loads of other little things and a small, screwdriver. Under this lot, buried under the bank envelopes, was a small piece of paper with a telephone number written in an untidy scrawl. This was Mikey's writing, she remembered it so well: he had begged her to buy a dress, and he would be there with her when she chose one; but to make sure she kept her promise, he gave her April's phone number and told her to call it. She had known it was there for four months, but to pick it up and call the reporter after was had happened brought her fear about the reaction from her adult friend. She kept imagining herself greeting April on the phone, who might burst into tears because Prida might have brought back memories of the guys to her. But that was when she, Prida, thought they were dead, and she still didn't know if the rest weren't. Plus, it had been too much on Prida's heart to call and be reminded of their deaths. Surprised by her weakness of emotions she didn't know she had, Prida had not dared to phone; after all, her traumatizing coma still wrenched at her suffering heart every time she thought about them. It had affected her so much more than she could have thought. But maybe now, as Prida looked at the piece of paper trapped at either end between the thumb and forefinger of both her hands, she would dare to phone someone who she was afraid to speak to.

   Closing her messy draw again, she sat down at her computer desk, took the phone from its hold on the wall, and shakily started to dial the number.

   _Oh God, whaddo I say?_ Prida thought quickly to herself as she listened to the ringing tone. _Er, 'Hi it's Prida, you might remember me – well you probably thought _I_ was dead – but I have something important to tell you, apart from the minor news I'm alive . . . ? No, nonono, er,' Hi, I'm sorry I haven't phoned you sooner, but I thought I should give you a bell and tell you that I just ran down one of your 'nephews'' . . . ? God no._ But before she could think of any other silly phrases that she might try and rehearse before the phone was picked up, she realized it had been ringing for longer than it took for someone to answer it. With a very shaky sigh, and with her heart fluttering in nervousness, she hung up.

   "Must be at work," she whispered to herself. April WAS a reporter, she would be very busy in the daytime. But what time WOULD she be in? And who else could she call? She never got to see their sewer home, so she had no clue where it was. What about Casey? Did he even survive that night? She did not know, she had not heard anything about that after she was woken from her coma, and her sister had forbidden the police to ask her any questions about what happened. She didn't know where Casey lived anyway, if he was still alive. Prida didn't realize she had moved out of her room and was in fact walking down the basement stairs, until she stumbled and grabbed the banister to steady herself. 

   She made it down the stairs without tripping anymore, and walked around to the bed, where she sat, and was just thinking about what sort of illness her green friend had when his head turned in the pillow and he gave out a groan through his now parted mouth.

   Prida turned towards him, eyes widened in surprise. She dropped off the edge of the bed and knelt on the floor right next to his face. His eyes were still closed, and she caught the washcloth as it dropped off the bed. Her heart begun to pound so ferociously she had to breath hard to keep up with it.

   Raph groaned again, but after tossing his head for a third time, he had not opened his eyes. She only just noticed the few sweat beads decorating his forehead, meaning his temperature must have risen.

   "R-Raph?" She called gently. Her voice was shaky, careful, as though talking to loud might affect him into taking longer to open his eyes. While her voice sounded unsteady and slightly scared, she herself was the host of growing excitement of which she had never felt. It was mixed with fear, nervousness, excitement and surprise. Even though she knew he had had to wake up some time, she felt surprised it was now.

   "Eugh . . ." he groaned. His eyes opened slightly as though too sore to open fully. He closed them again and his head stopped moving. He appeared to be catching his breath.

   "Raph . . . ?" Prida swallowed, catching her words in her throat. She rose higher on her knees, overlooking him.

   He opened his eyes again, squinted sorely at her and breathed, "Who?"

   Prida's smile disappeared slowly from her open mouth. She frowned softly but before she could ask him why he didn't recognize her he spoke again.

   "Where am I?" By the breathless tone in his voice he seemed to want this question answered immediately, as though he thought he knew he was in danger.

   He was squinting at her face, and she was completely shocked he didn't seem to recognize her.

   But from Raph's view, all he could see as his head throbbed painfully was a blurred figure above him, and even blurrier colors of walls past the face that was staring at him. He couldn't even see any of the figure's features, and his ears were ringing so painfully that every sound seemed to echo and was distorted as though he was listening to them underwater,.

   "You're . . . you're safe," Prida managed to say, though her throat seemed blocked. Through the extreme disappointment that had filled her heart with what seemed like ice, she felt something of a small warm feeling hearing his voice again after so long. If the others were alive, she couldn't wait to hear Mikey's sweet, fun-filled voice; Donny's intelligent tone, and Leo's graceful voice.

  When Prida finished replaying some sentences said by each of the other three brothers from four months ago in her head, she looked back to see Raph falling limp on the pillow again, and a second later he was asleep again, though this time she knew he hadn't been knocked unconscious.

   Prida stared at him for a few seconds with a saddened frown creasing her forehead. She sighed miserably and drenched the warm washcloth in the now warm water. Sighing again in irritation at the warmed water, she dropped the cloth in the water, picked up the bowl, stood up and walked to the end of the wall towards the stairs. Before she did, she turned around and looked at the bed, hoping that next time he woke, he would be less disorientated.

()()()()

   The night came and went, and April felt exhausted from the workload she had at the office. She had returned home late every night, and this morning she woke very early to go down to the lair. Because she had not had time to receive phone calls at work, one of the assistants had brought her a message from someone called Leo, saying that something had happened, and he would like to see her as soon as she had the time. So as soon as she was allowed a few free hours before work in the morning, she had rushed straight to the Lair, wondering what Leo could mean. On arriving she could feel an absence in the air when she climbed down the ladder.

   "Leo," she said when she saw him, greeting him with a hug. He didn't hug back; his arms remained limp at his sides and his features showed apologetic sorrow. He didn't want to have to bring her the worry, but he needed everyone at the minute.

   "Hey April," Mikey said, much less cheery than usual. He was just coming from his room, looking as though he had just woken up.

   April pulled away from Leo, keeping her hands on his shoulders. "What's happened, guys?" She asked softly, hoping it was the right tone for whatever news they were going to give her.

   Leo's tired eyes looked into hers. "It's Raph . . ." he said. There was not a lot of sadness in his voice, and it was clear, but his tone and lack of body movement gave April the impression that he was definitely not happy either.

   April cocked her head ever so slightly, an indication that she was listening carefully to what he would tell her next. She moved her eyebrows so her face was gentle and worried.

  Leo blinked down at the floor, before taking an intake of breath and looking back into her face.

   "He's missing . . ."

   These words usually brought the message of a few hours worth of 'missing', but Leo's tone told her it was longer than a few hours. Her hands dropped from his shoulders, but she continued to look into his face; her frown grew slightly more.

   "How long?" She asked in a very quiet voice, as though speaking in a library. She heard in the background Donny appearing from his lab, and could vaguely sense his movements stop at Splinter's armchair.

   Leo, again, looked past her shoulder to the wall behind, and then, with his face at an angle to hers, he looked at her from the left side of his eyes.

   "Two nights," he said, as though he had given those two night's absence out to Raph, and regretted it. His tones were strange in this situation, but April didn't mull on it for long.

   April looked at Mikey to her side, and then at Donny behind her.

   "He was ill when he left," Donny said to her, his frown was identical to Mikey's worried one.

   "Ill?" April turned her body to Donny now, knowing how seriously ill her friends could get if they remained in the cold for too long. Donny had made sure she had known about their conditions in situations that involved temperature or other things that affect turtles differently to humans.

   Donny formed the 'W' of 'we' with his mouth before he breathed it away, and then said it again, "We thought he had a cold two nights ago when he went out for a walk late at night, so we were worried straight when he hadn't returned the following morning . . . he knows a cold could turn into something more if he was exposed to cold temperatures."

   "We searched all day yesterday," Leo said. "We even asked Casey if he had seen him, but he hadn't, and he started looking too. But we do know that Raph had been up and running the night he disappeared, because we heard the crooks had tried to catch him and failed."

   April didn't know what to say at the minutes, and she kicked herself mentally for being useless when her friends had asked her to come down, probably to be something of a comfort to them.

   "Where's Splinter?" She asked. "Has he been able to meditate into it?"

   "He's in his room, meditating right now," Leo said. "He hasn't been able to find anything either."

   April gave a small sigh. "Okay, I'll do whatever I can during work and my free periods to see if I can hear or see anything that might tell us where Raph is."

   Leo managed a small, thankful smile. "Thanks April."

   The sound of movement from the ladder made them all look up to see Casey stood there. It was early in the morning for him to be awake, but they were not about to rudely point this out. They did notice that, as Casey walked down the steps to them, he held something in his hand, which he was showing them. Leo took it from him as Casey joined him and April.

   "I found it," Casey said, indicating the object in Leo's hand, "a few blocks from April's apartment."

   Leo held up Raph's fedora and blinked at the floor. He looked up at Casey.

   "D'y' think he had been trying to get to April's?" He asked.

   Casey lifted his arms in a shrug. "No idea, but I found _that_ next to a dumpster down a small road at the back of a few houses."

   Leo looked up at Casey. "There was nothing . . . _in_ the dumpster, was there?"

   Casey shook his head. "Nope, check it, and the surrounding alleys. That was the only thing I found. I didn't even find anything that might have looked like a struggle."

   Leo nodded hopelessly. Without looking at her, he said to April, "April, you should get going to work, don't wanna get you in trouble."

   April was about to tell him she wasn't the least bit worried about getting in trouble while her friend was missing, but he had turned away and was slowly walking towards Mikey. Instead, April closed her mouth and nodded, giving Donny, who was the only was with whom she could catch his eye, a one-sided grim smile. She turned away and, standing on tiptoes, gave Casey a soft kiss, before stepping around him and leaving by the ladder. As she was climbing out into the square tunnels above, she was thinking to herself how could she possibly concentrate on her work now? She would keep a good eye on her neighborhood for any signs of unusualness from now on.

()()()()

   _Oh why is she never in!_ Prida though desperately, throwing her phone down on her bed for the fifth time that day. She had woken up early, hoping that she might be able to catch April before she started work, but no, the phone had rung for ages before she had put it down, and now it was past midday, and still no reply. Should she go to the building where April works? No, she didn't know where that was, and even if she asked for directions, she might give April a heart attack if she saw a girl who she thought was dead walk into her office. And she really didn't want to leave Raph alone. She would just have to keep waiting until April answered the phone. Maybe Prida might get lucky and catch her in her dinner hour, unless it was cancelled because of her work.

   "Damn," she said to herself, nervously biting her thumb while staring at her purple bed sheets. She had done nothing but read down in the basement, and change her clothes as she had slept in the ones she had been wearing yesterday. Now she wore lavender colored shorts with a baggy light blue t-shirt that belonged to her sister. It was quite warm in the house, unlike outside, but she had turned down the heat as much as she could, hoping the basement would remain cooler than the rest of the house.

   What could she do in the meantime? She had read a whole book while she had been down with Raph in the basement, and she had nothing else to do. Well, maybe she could check out some of her Health books that Mai had bought. She nodded to herself, and ran out of her room, past the bathroom, past Mai's king-sized room and into one of their spare rooms. It was a big room, about the same size as Prida's bedroom, and it had a few book shelves in here, most were filled with videos, but she walked up to one with three shelves of books, and let her eyes skim across the titles. There was a small and a big book entitled First Aid; another called Family Health; one called The Human Body (Dictionary), well Raph wasn't exactly human, so she doubted that would come in handy; and a book entitled Symptoms – Family Guide, a large book for even the most inexperienced medical people. She pulled this one out, finding it heavy for a book, and carried it out of the room, and all the way down to the basement where she could read it in the company of her friend. Awake or not she felt happier in his presence.

   "Let's see if we can find your symptoms in here," she said quietly to him, opening the book to the contents page and running her finger down the listed text. "At least let's hope your symptoms are the same as human symptoms . . ."

   She began flicking through the pages, reading the writing there, finding nothing useful and turning more pages. She didn't realized, as she flicked through the 865 pages, that the time flew, and she was soon asleep on Raph's feet, her cheek on page 434 of the open book.

()()()()

   "Leo I think you should get some sleep," Donny suggested to his brother as he almost tripped walking to the couch from having been talking to Splinter in his room.

   Leo nodded tiredly, with his eyes half open. "Yeah . . . okay." He knew he should get some sleep, it wasn't helping their search for him to stay awake. "G'nigh', Don . . ." he sighed, and made his way over to his and Donny's car with heavy feet, dragging them.

   Donny watched him disappear, and then turned back to his lab. He was certain he had uncovered more information, but with the search for their brother he had not looked into it. Now, even though his eyelids were sore with sleep, he dropped into his chair, which tilted alarmingly back, steadied the chair, and switched on his computer. It gave a few small beeps as it booted up, and he leant forward, put his elbow on the desk and rested his chin on his thumb and forefinger, watching the screen. Eventually he managed to get his information back up, and started clicking and typing from thereon for a few minutes. He stopped movement altogether as new information flashed on the screen, and he started to read, his mouth forming the words silently as his eyes skimmed the sentences. He sat back with a frown, still staring at the screen.

   "The small group of star-glazing Egyptians discovered," Donny read aloud, "that the Eye of Yailea itself gave a clue about the being it was created for, and left a single sentence etched with hieroglyphics about their discovery:  'A certain feature of the Eye can identify.'"

   Don moved his head a fraction backwards as he re-read the line, "A certain feature of the Eye can identify . . ." He swallowed and read the whole paragraph again. "Well that obviously means something on The Eye artifact LOOKS like . . ." he frowned, "something on someone."

   He got up and walked over to the cabinet next to his lab door. He pulled open the second draw and took out the precious artifact. He took it back to his desk, sat down and began to study it intently.

   "Well, I don't think anyone is going to be made of twisting metal patterns," Donny said to himself, a half amused smile on his face, "that I can be sure of." He held it up to the small desk lamp light, turning it over. There was nothing on the back, so he looked at the front again, and looked at the deep purple crystal in the center. "Well, the crystal is called 'the Eye', and I don't think anyone has purple eyes . . ." 

   Donny's amused smile slowly fell from his face . . .


	7. Wake Up

Undiscovered Power

 ~

   Prida's back ached in the morning because of the funny position she had slept in. She woke up with a groan, and placing her hands on her sides gave a stretch, letting her uncombed hair seemed even longer down her back as it draped down onto the bed behind her. She looked down at her guest in bed, and climbed off, making her way to the kitchen. With a yawn she grabbed two slices of bread and dropped them in the toaster, then grabbed the butter and a knife, and waited for it to be toasted while she went out and checked to see if there was any mail. She returned after a slam of the door with one postcard from Egypt. As she read the happy writing of Mai, Prida allowed a small smile to overcome her miserable feelings this morning. She dropped the postcard of the pyramids on the counter, and decided to see if she could reach April while waiting for her toast. She walked into the hall and picked the phone up that was attached to the wall. She knew April's phone number by heart now, so she nervously dialed the number, and waited as the ringing tones rang on.

   "Damn," she breathed after the tenth ring, and put the phone back. She remained stood there for a few seconds, thoughts whizzing through her head. But it was too early to be bombarded with the questions and thoughts that kept pestering her whenever her mind had space to fit any in. So Prida walked back into the kitchen to the smell of burnt toast, and gave a roll of her eyes and grinded her teeth. She didn't feel all that hungry just then, and didn't have much of an appetite, but it was something to do, and so she started to butter – or more correctly – mutilate her toast with the knife, and plunked them down on a small plate. She picked it up and made her way back down to the basement, thinking she should get back to looking through the book that she hadn't finished last night. At least, she WAS thinking this until it immediately flew from her mind as soon as she stepped off the last step of the basement and around the corner of the wall.

   "WHOA!"

   She jumped so quickly at this sudden outburst to her delicate morning eardrums that she dropped the plate of toast, and it shattered on the floor. She was left staring in shocked fright at who had made the noise.

   On the bed, half stood, half kneeling, was Raph, staring at her with a much greater look of shock on his face. The bed sheets had obviously been pushed back when he had woken, no doubt confused, and had fallen from him as he had jumped up. He appeared frozen as he stared at her, but his expression changed, and a frown creased his brow, mouth open as though he had seen the most horrific thing in his life, though Raph's expression would not be exaggerated if it was, it would be understated, as it was now.

   Prida's heart had almost exploded with the sudden jolt it had received, but she was quite sure it was still working because it was beating fast against her rib cage. She herself had froze, and probably reflected Raph's first shocked expression.

  Raph opened his mouth wider as if to speak, but he merely closed it slightly and his frown seemed to increase. His first thoughts, after his mind had regained itself, was that he was dreaming (or should he say nightmaring) because, admittedly, he did have dreams in which his dead friend was alive; but they all replayed the horrible night he had seen her killed, or sometimes he was not trapped in the truck, but beside her, and could not move her out the way before the flaming car wreck crashed down upon her, after which he always woke in sweats, feeling utmost guilt that he could have saved her. She was the cause of many sleepless nights, no offence to her soul. But this, this was not one of his dreams that replayed every night, he had never seen this room, and he had never seen her in that attire . . . so why and how was he dreaming of it now? A gut wrenching feeling told him this was no dream . . . so was he dead then?

   "Raph . . . ?" Prida managed to say in a slightly shaky voice, quietly. She took a step forward. Would he remember her? Had she knocked him silly?

   But his frown slowly disappeared and lifted his head slightly, staring at her. Her voice had seemed so real, even though his throbbing temples were affecting his hearing, he could still hear. In his dreams she had cried out his name too, but her voice was always far away, and it echoed. Maybe he was looking at someone else, but he was seeing Prida . . . but how could they have known his name? And her voice was exactly as he remembered it . . .

   Slowly Raph shook his head, the smallest of frowns on his brow. "You're not real," he said softly.

   The tone of which he sounded convinced of himself made Prida's heart stop beating for an actually second, before it continued but as though it was filled with lead. His words stung, she had hoped he would have greeted a 'dead' friend a bit better than that, even if he DID think he was dreaming.

   "Yes I am . . ." she choked in an equally soft tone, as though trying to argue. Her own brow had turned inwards and upwards in anguish, and she felt for the first time in four month the abrupt wanting to cry all of a sudden. Sure she had cried in those first few weeks after, but this feeling seemed much deeper.

   Raph was looking at her with sorrow, as though sincerely sorry about something. He crouched down and stepped both feet off the bed, and stood up, all the while staring at her. His head suddenly felt extremely heavy, and his sight started to fade to blackness, but he blinked and it returned. He could still feel the burning of his cheeks.

   "I am real," Prida said in the quiet voice she had adopted, along with the soft tone. "I – I am – real . . . I'm alive . . . you're not imagining this . . ." she looked into his eyes and managed to pull one side of her mouth into a small smile, " . . . it's me."

   His head was tilted downwards slightly. He was trying to convince himself this was one of his dreams . . . a new dream that might end with him waking and cursing his nightmares again.

   "You're dead," he whispered as though regrettably stating a fact; face expressionless now. He had never been able to carry out a conversation with her in his dreams, so as horrible as it sounded to him, he was developing a feeling of gratefulness to this reverie.

   Prida shook her head quickly. "No, I'm not dead, I – I didn't die . . . but – but I thought _you_ had." She wanted desperately to tell him what she had put together, but at the same time she didn't want to talk, she wanted to hug him and never let go, to let tears stream down her face in happiness.

   He tilted his head very slightly to his left in confusion. Maybe this WAS a dream, and she was an angel, and had entered his dreams to tell him something. An angel . . . she was even more beautiful than he remembered, it made sense for her to be an angel.

   She took another step forwards, her hands were held out, palms facing the ceiling, as though she was going to make a serious but sad point.

   "You – you didn't die in . . . in . . ." she suddenly found her throat blocked, but she swallowed and continued. " . . . in the truck explosion, did you?" She should have given him a few more seconds to answer before she said again, "_didn't you?"_

   He was staring at her with an almost blank expression again. There was something else there that she could not tell, and the way he was studying her made her think he was trying to memorize every detail in case he never saw this dream again.

  He shook his head slightly slower than usual for a second time. "No."

   "But I thought _you had_," she explained, placing the tips of her fingers to her heart. Staring so deep into his eyes she wouldn't be surprised if she had just forced the whole explanation into his mind. "I thought you had been killed in the explosion – with your brothers!" Her voice was slightly louder than normal tone, but soft. "But you hadn't . . . so . . . so – _you_ must have seen the car wreck fall on me . . . and you thought . . . _I_ had been killed." 

   His frown was back, and he stared at the floor, obviously confused.

   "Don't you see? I thought you were dead, and you thought I was dead," she said. She took another step forward and tilted her head to watch his eyes stare at the floor. He seemed to be grinding his teeth in a very pensive way.

   "This is too . . ." he looked back up to her, thinking for a word and seemingly finding it in her expression. " . . . unreal."

   "_But it's true_," Prida pressed softly, her hands were now bunched, pressed against each other in front of her in a dramatic-like way. She shook them very slightly up and down once as she spoke. She stepped within a foot's distance from him, and picked up one of his hands in her shaking pair, cupping it in hers. He looked into her face as her small smile appeared. "I missed you," she whispered. Then she threw her arms around his neck, and closed her eyes as she buried her face in his shoulder, suddenly feeling so happy, her lead-filled heart was as light as a feather, and she could feel a tear seep from each of her closed eyes. She felt his arms against her back, and she felt the safest she had in four months.

   "Oh my God, Prida," she heard him breathe, and she knew, with a satisfied flutter of her heart, he knew.

   "Why didn't you believe me when I first told you," she whispered, chocking with happiness on her words. She didn't want to let go; her arms were locked around his shell. But she could feel him shaking, as though the strength to keep himself upright was disappearing.

   "I thought you were _dead_!" He said through a small, chuckle. "I couldn't have just believed you with your first word . . . not after all the nightmares . . ." 

   "I'm still in shock after seeing you on the road," she said. "I couldn't believe my eyes, I – I thought I was seeing things . . ."

   There was a moment's silence, and then he said, "How did you get me here?" His voice seemed quiet, as though he was very tired.

   "With great difficulty," she smiled into his shoulder, eyes still closed. But she opened them as Raph seemed to slide to the ground, and she only just caught him, while he tried to regain his balance. "Raph – get back onto the bed, you're not well," she told him, half dragging him there.

   His vision had started to fade into blackness again, and his head was so painful he was sure his brain was being subjected to sharp electricity.

   "I figured," he muttered, as he was lowered onto the bed. He sat up with his hand on his head and tried to control his breathing pattern. Prida was sat next to him, her hand on his shoulder looking extremely concerned for him.

   "What is it? A Cold?" She asked. "A really BAD cold?"

   Raph shook his head. "I don't know."

   Prida put her other hand on his other shoulder and pushed him down onto the bed.

   "Yeah, well, whatever it is, you're staying here until you're well," she said in a soft tone.

   Raph did not argue, he had no strength to argue. But he did manage to say, "So, are you gonna tell me . . . what happened after . . . ?"

   Prida pulled the bed sheets back over him and looked at the floor.

   "Guess I should," she sighed. She looked back at him. "But first, tell me that ALL of you survived . . . Leo, Don, Mike . . . they made it too, right?" Saying their names made tears well in her eyes. She missed them so much.

   Raph nodded wearily. "They're alright, they survived . . ." _Though they're probably not alright now, I've been gone – actually how long have I been gone? – a while at least, they'll be worried sick._

   Prida's eyes shimmered above her happy smile, as she looked overjoyed at hearing they were all alive. Before she knew it she had thrown herself on her friend again, in happiness, and was hugging him again, cheek to cheek.

   "Thank God, you don't know what thoughts were running through my head while you were still unconscious . . ." the tears fell from her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. " . . . I'm so sorry for running over you . . ." Though she wasn't sorry at all in a way – she couldn't believe her luck!

   Raph chuckled, face still pressed against hers. "It was you who ran into me?" He snorted softly again. "So . . .what happened after . . . well, we only saw the burning car wreck fall . . ."

   She sat back up, feeling nothing like herself. She could never remember feeling like this for any friends, and yet four of them had had such an impact on her they had tough-girl Prida crying. But even though she knew their true form was of a mutant turtle, she would always see them as the first quads Vinilla High had ever seen.

   "I –" she began, then swallowed and took a deep breath. "I was taken to hospital and was in a – "  she paused, mouth hanging open on her last word. Then she continued. " – in there for a little more than a week before I was allowed out . . . I was so – upset – that you'd 'died'. The gang –" she smiled at him " – all came to visit, and I – I told them that you had gone back to LA, but I told Roxanne that you had been killed . . . even J – er – Tooks was nice to me . . . but you don't know how glad I am to know you're all alive," she grinned so widely at him it seemed to reflect onto his face. She did not know why she had stopped herself mentioning her coma, perhaps deep down inside her she didn't want him to feel pity or sorrow for her, when he should be concentrating on his own well being.

   Raph lifted his head off the pillow, and looked at her. "Tooks?" He asked in a slightly surprised tone.

   Prida looked at the floor, and then nodded. "Yes, he was . . . well, he wasn't himself when he came to see me in hospital – " thanks to Mai for that information " – and he actually sent me a card . . . with most of his feelings in it . . . He's been –" but she caught herself. She didn't really think it was wise to tell Raph he had been visiting her frequently since her accident.

   But he had detected something in her abrupt cut off, and narrowed his eyes. "He's been what?"

   Prida sighed and took interest in the floor again. "Visiting me, he cares about me . . . perhaps too much." She couldn't believe that she was sat here talking about Tooks with her friend who she had only just spoken to the first time in four months.

   Raph felt his blood boil at hearing this, for some reason he didn't like the thought of it; of her being in this house on her own with that animal. Just then it felt like old times when he and Tooks shared the same hate for each other back in high school. He longed to go back to those days where he could walk around in daylight, with no trench coat to hide his green skin. Now, he had become aware of the fact that the last time Prida had seen them like this was not even for an hour, and at that minute he felt uncomfortable; she had obviously had a lot more time to 'study' him while he had been out.

   "Are you gonna tell me your story?" She asked with a smile. She couldn't wait until she saw Leo, Don and Mikey again – imagine their faces.

   Raph propped himself up on his elbows, even though as he did so it felt like his temperature just rose a few degrees. He began to tell her how Leo had managed to get them all through the hold in the truck, and how Casey had found them collapsed at the bottom of the manhole. He himself, still couldn't believe he was laid there talking to the one friend his own age who was not green, nor related. He too, had never felt this happy, yet he was slightly angry by the fact that when he did happened to run into his friend who he had not seen in four months, he had to be ill with a cold; though it felt much more than a cold.

   "April never could find a date for your funeral," he said with a smile.

   She smiled back and said, "Well I thought your bodies would have been found by the police or scientists. I didn't even know if Casey had survived. It's been horrible . . ." She watched him close his eyes, but she could tell he had not gone to sleep, so she changed the subject and continued to talk. "I tried phoning April, to tell her about you." He gave a small grunt, which Prida knew was a laugh, as he too could imagine April listening to Prida introduce herself again over the phone. Prida chuckled softly too, keeping her eyes on his face. "But she was obviously at work."

   "She works a lot, lately," Raph mumbled quietly. His eyes remained closed, and the rising of his chest became slower. Prida smiled and pulled the covers up to his shoulders and lent forwards, so her face was an inch above his forehead.

   "Sweet dreams," she whispered, hoping now he knew, his dreams would be more pleasant than before. She kissed his forehead and withdrew her head, staring at him for a few seconds before she got to her feet, and for some totally out-of-control moment, she jumped into the air on the spot then twirled, facing him again with a smile so full of happiness she was surprised she didn't burst. Shaking her head contently at herself, she picked up the book from the floor, that had obviously been dropped when Raph had awoke, turned and disappeared to change her clothes. She would ask him later whether or not he could remember waking up and not recognizing her.


	8. Still Searching

Undiscovered Power

~

   "Did you stay up the entire night?" Leo asked his brother, as he walked tiredly into Donny's lab. It was late in the morning, early afternoon, and Leo had only just woken. He had not got to sleep for hours last night after he had gone to bed, and he could not remember closing his eyes. Now, he walked into his brother's workroom, and found him at his chair, rotating it gently with a pensive expression on his face. His computer was flashing standby at him, but he didn't seem to have noticed. He looked slightly ill from loss of sleep.

   "Um," Donny muttered distantly, as though it was one of his many automatic reactions to a question the back of his brain only just recognized.

   Leo stood still and watched his brother with a concerned frown creasing his bandanna ridges. Neither said anything for a few seconds, in which time Mikey could be heard awaking from the Lair behind Leo. Then Donny broke the silence.

   "D' y' think it's possible to return from the dead?" He asked Leo, in a little less that thoughtful tone. He did not look at Leo, but continued to swing his chair gently to and fro, using his feet to stop, and then push off in the other direction before stopping and repeating this.

   Leo frowned at the question, and looked at his brother. "Why do you ask?" He said in a soft tone.

   Donny did not answer straight away, but continued to look at the floor. After two or three seconds he spoke again.

   "It's just, after our encounter with that magical man, I'm beginning to wonder if anything else that we used to think was impossible, _is_ possible . . ."

   Leo considered this. As he thought about it, he did realize that no one would have believed in magic, and they hadn't, until they were turned human by it; by one man who performed an amazing disappearing act as a glowing orb of light. And if magic DID exist, then other things might also . . .

   "Considering the magic that we saw four months ago, my answer is more lost," Leo said. "I couldn't give you one." He was, in fact, more confused about the fact that there could be the possibility that people could return from the dead. Before five months ago Leo would have said he believed it absolutely impossible, but now, well, his mind was certainly changed for a lot of things.

   Donny did not say anything, but he did seem to have at least heard Leo.

   "_Why?_" Leo asked again, wanting to know the reason his brother had asked in the first place. Donny sometimes does talk to Leo about many things, computer related or not, and Leo does not question why he brought them up, which he sometimes does do randomly. But they were in a situation where this question was a little odd, and his brother did not seem to be his proper self.

   Donny did not, again, answer at once, nor did he answer Leo's question straight. Instead he said, "I believe that, for an artifact this powerful, and if it was made for someone, then that someone would have to be alive, right? Otherwise this artifact probably would no longer be here, so its power couldn't be used by wrong hands . . ."

   "I suppose," Leo said carefully.

   Donny paused. "Remember me telling you the other day that Raph said to me he recognized the symbols on the artifact?"

   Leo walked forward a step, wondering why Donny was asking him this, and the mention of Raph's name waking an unpleasant feeling in his stomach. He suddenly needed to get out and search again, but he thought he should see what his brother was going to say. It seemed important, even though Donny had not said it was.

   "Yeah," Leo said slowly.

   Donny looked up from the floor and glanced at his brother before directing his eyes to the wall behind him.

   "Well, I didn't say _where_ he saw them, Mikey only assumed Raph saw it in a dream," Don said. "But, he told me when we were getting ready for practice that day, before Splinter got up, just as you came in, and I told you he was imagining things again." Leo nodded, he remembered. "Well, he told me he had seen it, at Vinilla High," Donny watched Leo's face, "on Prida's necklace . . ."

   Leo looked up from the floor into his brother's face, a highly confused expression. Donny nodded.

   "It was Prida's pendant," Donny confirmed, remembering the chain that was always around their friend's neck.

   Leo made a small motion as if to shake his head, but didn't. Leo looked at the floor and then back at his brother.

   "What does this mean?" He asked.

   Donny, again, did not answer the question. "Do you also remember me telling you that whoever this artifact belonged to was born the same time as we were?"

   Leo nodded and said in a quiet voice, "Fifteen years ago, they'd be the same age as . . . us." He looked at Donny as realization dawned over his expression. "You think . . ." he made small motions with his hands as he spoke, "that – that this artifact was . . ." he broke off, but Donny began speaking after him.

   "I found something else on the Internet last night, that made me sure I know what I think is right." 

   Donny reached behind him to the desk, and pulled his hand back holding the Eye artifact. He tossed it to Leo, who caught it instinctively without a blink. He looked down at it, and looked at Donny, questioning why his brother had thrown it to him.

   "I read, last night, on the Internet," Don informed Leo, "that the artifact has a feature which is identical to the person it was created for."

   Leo looked down at the small triangular metal piece in his hands, turning it over. His eyes locked on to the two symbols.

   "But, if these symbols are the same as Prida's pendant, then it's not technically a feature is it?" He said.

   Donny shook his head. "No, no it's not, because that isn't the feature of the person. Look again."

   Leo frowned, but returned his eyes to the artifact, taking in very like of the twisting metal around the crystal. But he could see nothing that might look like the feature on a human being. He looked back up at Donny, frowning.

   Donny did not look annoyed that Leo could not see. He said, "The crystal in the center is called the 'Eye' right? Well . . ."

   Leo looked back down at it again, then looked up, and Donny nodded at Leo's expression.

   "The purple Eye," Donny said carefully.

   "But Prida's dead," Leo said, his frown increased. "And you said it would probably disappear on its own."

   "So, maybe it chooses someone else when the first has gone," Donny suggested quickly. "Maybe it might change its 'feature', I don't know."

   "Maybe when the person who it was made for dies," Leo started, "then the power that it held only for them is open to anyone now, anyone who knows how to activate it. It might be the reason the crooks stole it only a few days ago, since they had been looking for it for a while, maybe they knew . . . maybe they knew Prida had died, and decided that they could now unlock its power."

   Leo looked convinced of his theory, while Donny only half so. He couldn't help feeling, however Leo's assumption seemed better, that there had to be something else to this. Leo did not think it was wise to be returning their attention to a ridiculous idea of life after death, only because a few clues pointed to someone who had been dead, and was in no doubt, not coming back. They had to let that go, but it was still hard.

   "Maybe," Donny said, his eyes now clouding over in thought as he stared at the floor with his chin held on his finger and thumb.

   Mikey, who had been stood outside the doorway against the wall, gave a silent sigh and turned away towards the dojo. He entered the room with thoughts flying around his head. So Leo and Don thought that the artifact might now become someone else's, or it could be activated by anyone now. Well, if it was the former, Mikey felt sure it had to be one of his family who it would decide was worthy enough to belong to.

   "Mike?"

   Mikey looked up to find himself sat down in the dojo, and Leo's head was peering through the doorway at him.

   "I'm going to search," Leo said in a quiet voice. He could not help but think that searching for their brother was a futile effort, because they had looked in every place Raph would be seen, or could be. They were still baffled as to how their brother could just disappear one night, soon after their discovered information that he had been running, with only his hat left in a street not far from April's. They would have known if the Foot had got hold of him, as they would have either seen some of their activities, or else been delivered a threatening note to April which would then be passed to them. But it was as if their brother had disappeared, leaving only his hat.

   "I'll come," Mikey said in a slightly louder tone than his brother's. He wanted to get away from the enclosed spaces of the sewer, and into fresh air where he could think without having memories and thoughts pop into his head with every object his eyes laid upon in their home. He just wanted space at this minute. Mikey stood up and followed Leo, who had disappeared a few seconds ago, out of the dojo. Donny was remaining in his lab, casting a look at the pair as they walked by his door, which clearly showed his thoughts about the hopelessness of their search. They felt the same, but dared not admit it.

   Don turned back to his computer as he listened to the sounds of his brothers leaving. He heard Splinter leave his train compartment, probably to get some food. Their Sensei had done nothing but meditate, trying as best as he could to locate their missing brother. But either he was too ill for his mind to be noticed, or . . . Don didn't want to think of the later. Instead he focused his attention on the artifact. Maybe, if he took up topside it might act as a detector for something. Donny still did not know why it was here, or what it would do if it were going to. 

()()()()

   Prida had slept in her own bed that night, as her friend had not woken up again that day, and she had the feeling he wouldn't be waking in the night neither. She had not been able to sleep, even though she felt exhausted, and by the time she had managed to fall into slumber, her bed duvet had been kicked and pushed to the floor from her constant twisting and turning in bed. The bottom sheet had been pulled up from trapped between the mattress and the bed frame, and her worn, light purple spaghetti top that she slept in was twisted uncomfortably around her torso, the beck drenched in the sweat she had worked up while trying to sleep. In all, when she woke the next morning she was dying for a bath and at the same time a nice cool breeze. Her hair was a nightmare, but somehow she only managed to snap a few teeth from her hairbrush.

   The sound of the distant doorbell rang downstairs and with a morning frown Prida looked at her computer desk at the clock stood there, reading 9:10 am.

   She was just about to mutter "who the hell?" but immediately realized it was probably the one person she just wished would leave her alone while she had a mutant turtle in her basement. She stormed downstairs, and reached her kitchen as another doorbell rang through the house. With a stony face, she began unlocking the bolts, turned the key in the door and pulled it open to be meted by the person she had guessed.

   "Jo," she said, aware her expression was probably not the best to visit someone at the front door.

   "Hey Prida, babe," the black-haired, handsome teenager greeted. "I was worried when you didn't answer the phone yesterday."

   Prida's shoulder dropped in a sigh as she stared at him. He rang her house no less that six times yesterday, but she had ignored it, busy in finishing the Symptoms and Cures book.

   "I was in the shower," she replied flatly, after a second's pause in which she thought up the lie.

   "Really . . . ?" Tooks said slowly, glancing at her hair, of which the tint of slick light from it could describe it as slightly greasy. "Well, I thought maybe you would be feeling better today, aaaaand I just came by to see if yoooou wanted any company, or needed something, or perhaps come with me to the park in a _nice_ day out." The word 'nice' seemed to take some effort to pronounce in the right tone.

   "No thank you, Jo," she replied in the same flat tone as before. She watched him with lazy eyes, as though she wasn't too bothered about the things she usually considered he could do were going to happen. She appreciated the fact that he spoke to her in such a friendly manner that no one would have thought it was him had they heard him instead of seen him, but she was still annoyed that he wouldn't leave her alone; and even though he didn't know she had a friend in the basement, she felt she was still allowed to be mad at him.

   Tooks sighed deeply, but a half smile remained on his face. "Well, maybe you might change your mind later," he said.

   All the more irritated that he wouldn't give up even when she had spoken to him like that, she moved her lower jaw and rolled her eyes at the air some few inches from Tooks' head. But she was caught by surprise when she found her chin was gently held in his forefinger and thumb, and his warm lips were planted on hers. Before she could even jerk away, he had broken apart, gave her a quick, small smile, turned and walked down her driveway to the gate.

   "Ooooh," she growled, angry with him. She slammed the door, finding half the anger aimed at herself for the second after that kiss to find that she hadn't been mad. "I hate you Tooks," she muttered, though she did not mean any of it.

   Prida turned to the kitchen, where she quickly filled a glass with milk, and made some cereal. Then she took them down to the basement, where she froze, watching her friend's head toss as though having a bad dream. Perhaps he was, but he was sniffing through a blocked nose, and Prida didn't like the sound of it.

   "Hey, hey Raph," she called gently, placing the glass of milk and the bowl down, next to the water bowl, on the small table next to the bed.

   "Huh?" He murmured as his eyes opened and adjusted to the light.

   "You were having a nightmare, I think," Prida said, looking down at him while sitting down on the edge of the bed, as he sat up.

   Raph shook his head. "No, no I wasn't," he said thickly through a bunged up nose. "They've all gone now."

   "Well you was tossing your head at something," she said, frowning in concern at the sudden change of his voice from yesterday. He was definitely worse. She picked up the milk and handed it to him. "Here, get some fluids down ya."

   While he drank it noisily, and she watched, she asked, "do you guys have a phone down in the sewers? Any way I could contact your brothers . . . I think they should be looking after you, not me."

   He lowered the glass and huffed. "I'b fine," he tried to say. Prida snorted.

   "Right," she said sarcastically, stretching the word. She handed him the cereal bowl as he gave her a look for steal his sarcasm.

   "Yeah, we do have a phone," he said, spooning out milk and maize squares.

   Prida glanced about for a pen while he crunched on his breakfast, and pulled open the bottom draw of three on the small table, where, luck would have it, she found a green gel pen. Unfortunately there was no paper, so Raph ended up writing his phone number untidily on the back of her hand.

   "How am I mean to read that?!" She questioned with a smile, trying to turn her hand around so the numbers were the right way up.

   "Use yur eyes," he said through a mouthful of cereal, holding the bowl up beneath his chin, as there was a trickle of milk dripping from it.

   "Ugh," Prida said, in humorous disgust. "Be right back."

   As she got up to go to the stairs, he said, "Tell 'em s'me, an' al introduce ya la'er."

   "Right," she said over her shoulder, and chuckled. She moved up the stairs, and as she did, her heart began to pound faster with every step. She was going to be talking with Mikey, Donny or Leo in a minute or two, after so long. She was soon stood in front of the phone, and had picked the received up. She swallowed and looked at the back of her hand, on which the green gel ink scribbled unclear numbers. Without realizing, she misread one of the numbers, and punched in the number. She let out a deep breath as the first dial tone rang. It rang four more times before it was picked up, and her heart did a somersault and back flip; but she was met by no voice she had heard before.

   "Hello?" Came a deep, middle-aged man's voice.

   Prida's mouth formed the word twice before she actually said it. "Hi, er . . ." then she whispered, "I think I've got the wrong number, I'm searching for a . . . Leonardo?"

   "Sorry, no one by that name here," came the reply, and her heart sank. Raph had given her the wrong number. 

   "Sorry," she regained her normal voice, and listened as the other end said a gruff, "okay, bye," and a click as the other end was put down. The drone of the dial tone replaced it. With a deep, shaky sigh she put the phone back, and stood there for a few seconds, before making her way back down to the basement where the empty cereal bowl had been replaced next to the empty milk glass.

   "You gave me the wrong number," she said lightly, as though it was a common mistake.

   He frowned. "No, I don't think I did, I know our number." He held his hands out for the back of her hand where his number was written, and she sat down on the edge of the bed while he squinted at the back of her hand. 

   Raph took a long blink and tried to focus his eyes on the writing again, but it had suddenly become blurred, as the effort of trying to read made his head spin, and before he knew it Prida's hands were steadying him and laying him back against the pillows.

   "Can't read it," he breathed, closing his eyes. A wave of sickness washed over him. He felt her hand pressed against his forehead, and it felt surprisingly cool against his skin. When she took it away he could properly feel the real heat of his skin, and it made him grunt uncomfortably.

   "Okay Raph, I'm gonna try April again," Prida said in a low tone, her heart had just quicken when he had almost collapsed forward.

   "She'll be at work," he spoke quietly.

   "I've gotta try," Prida whispered in the same tone, her brow was furrowing anxiety. One hand was still gripping his arm, while the other was stroking his cheek. They were burning to an alarming temperature, and suddenly Prida felt useless. She couldn't help someone with a human cold, never mind a turtle, and she didn't even have his brothers' phone number. What was she going to do? _Phone April, Prida you idiot! You just said that – do it now!_

   She stood up straight, and with another, "Be right back," she ran to the stairs, and jogged up them to the phone she had been stood in front of a minute ago. She quickly pushed the numbers that made up April's phone number, and listened to the hopeless tones ring on and on. With an impatient grunt, she threw the receiver back and ran back down to the basement, where her friend was, again, tossing his head in a feverish way. He appeared to be caught in sleep, yet his breathing was as though he was running, and then it paused before continuing in an irregular pattern. Prida was sure this time it was not the cause of a nightmare; it was his fever. The worst thing was she didn't know if it would get worse.

()()()()

   "Donny you should get some sleep tonight," Leo said as he walked into the lab Donny spent so much time in. His brother was, wear he was mostly found, in front of his computer screen.

   Leo and Mikey's search had found nothing, but the lack of clues of their brother's disappearance only seemed to now make him determined to find some, and so he ordered them out tomorrow all day to look.

   "I'm not staying up all night tonight," Don assured him. "I've found all I can about the artifact from the net." Donny had filled Leo in about his thoughts that the artifact might act as a detector, so Don aimed to take it topside with him tomorrow.

   "Good," Leo sighed, staring off into space. He blinked back and looked at the back of the Donny's chair. "Goodnight, Don."

   Donny heard his brother leave, and he switched him computer off, remaining in silence and darkness for a few minutes with thoughts spinning around his head. He got up and made his way to his and Leo's room. He could hear his brother's slow breathing, meaning he had already fallen asleep. Leo wore himself out easier than the other at times. Maybe he had more to worry about, like being the leader, and how you organize a search for a brother who, if the right organized search is not issued, might not be seen again. Donny didn't have much time to think about much before he himself had joined Leo in deep sleep.

()()()()

   Prida put the phone down with a hopeless sigh. She had phoned April's so many times she was surprised no one from surrounding apartments broke into the house just to answer it. The phone had never been used so many times in one day. Apart from April's, and the wrong number, Prida had phoned the vet, asking if pet turtles could get colds, and then she asked to describe what kind of cold 'it' had, and when she told him, he informed her that no turtle should have this kind of cold, and after that she thanked him and hung up. She had only just gotten off the phone to the doctor, feeling, at the beginning of the phone call, thankful he stayed in late. But after she had described the symptoms of the fever she guessed a friend had, the doctor said with serious symptoms like that he should be brought in and seen to at the hospital. Saying it was for a school information essay, she thanked him and gave the phone a rest. One good thing about phoning all day was that Tooks wouldn't have been able to get through.

   Prida made her way to the basement, and observed her friend from the end of the wall. She had brought a small candleholder down here, and lit the purple candle for the turtle, making a change from the bright light of the electric powered bulb. The dancing flame threw the room into a beautiful glow, and with a soft smile, she silently made her way to her sleeping friend, who was laid on his stomach, face towards her with his visible arm buried under the pillow, having moved earlier on when he was half asleep. She kneeled on the bed, and lay down between him and the wall the bed was against. She propped her head on her elbow, and with her other hand, she ran a hand gently over his shell, fascinated by the patterns, and also by the scratches obviously inflicted in some fight. With her forefinger, she traced the grooves in his shell, until a small, quiet chuckle made her stop and realize her friend was awake.

   "Tickles," he muttered, and she could tell he was smiling.

   "You can feel that?" She asked very quietly and softly.

   "No, I can feel the movement, vibrations; but I can't feel the touch."

   Prida smiled and they both remained quiet for a few seconds. Then Prida lent over Raph and blew out the candle, and then she lay back down, and snuggled her cheek into the pillow, and closed her eyes. They both fell asleep from exhaustion twenty seconds later.


	9. The right phone number

Undiscovered Power

~

   "Don? Hey, Donny, wake up."

   "Uh?" Donny's mumbled, sitting up in bed and opening his eyes half way. Leo was bent down next to his bunk with his trench coat on, and Don could just see Mikey leaning on the outside wall of the car, next to the door, but with no coat on.

   "You slept in late," Leo said with a sympathetic smile. He knew his brother must have been very tired after having no sleep the other night. "We're goin' up top, remember? You're taking that artifact with us."

   "Yeah, yeah," Donny nodded, closing his eyes as he climbed out of bed, his head spinning. It soon cleared and he looked properly at Leo. "What time is it?"

   "Nearly noon," Mikey replied, his head peeking past the edge of the open door.

   "We wanted to leave you to get some extra Zs," Leo told Don.

   "Well," Donny said, stretching his arms. "I'm up now, so let's get going then." He thought about brunch, but then he waved the thought away. He wasn't too hungry, surprisingly.

   Leo nodded and he walked out of Don's room, as Don followed, and handed Donny his belt and Bo Staff from the couch. He had obviously moved them so Don could grab them quicker, since his brother had left his in his lab.

   Donny found himself thinking he didn't have to worry about missing breakfast, as Mikey had jogged into the kitchen as Leo walked to the couch, and came back to Don with a plate of toast. Donny felt grateful Mikey thought about this at least, and he took one slice of toast from the stack. He wasn't much hungry, but Splinter had taught them that after waking, it was always good to eat as it keeps up the strength. Speaking – or thinking – of Splinter . . . 

   "Is Master Splin'ner still Me'itatin'?" He asked with a mouthful of bread.

   "Yeah," Leo said quietly. "I told him what we we're gonna do with that artifact . . . he didn't have any opinions about our actions."

   Donny nodded, and swallowed the last of his toast. Mikey offered him some more, but Don shook his head, and this seemed to be the queue for Leo to order them to go. Mikey ran to get his coat, while Don fastened his belt around his waist, slotting his Bo in the pocket on his shell. He jogged up the steps where Mike handed him his coat and hat, and they both geared themselves up. Leo came from Don's lab and tossed him the artifact, put his hat on, and Mikey and Donny followed him out of the lair up the ladder.

   Splinter watched them exit, and with a silent sigh, he turned back into his room, where he picked up a match and struck it. He lit the seven candles, extinguished the match, and sat back down on his tidy bed, cross-legged. He believed anything could be achieved through mediation if only one was to try hard enough. Splinter felt the mediation he had been seeking through was too light, it wasn't strong enough, he didn't use his full strength, and therefore thought this was the reason he was not reaching his missing son. Yet applying too much strength to meditation made him weak, but this he was not bothered about. What he was bothered about was searching for his son's recognizable energy, if, of course, he had any.

//

   The three brothers reached the surface, careful, as always, in case anyone saw them emerging from a manhole, which could lead to questions. They left the alleyway they had come to call their 'back yard', and out into the streets.

   It was a gloomy day; the whether finally seemed to have caught up wit the turtles' moods. The gray sky was cloudy, and the temperature was cool, but was made cooler when a stinging cold wind blew at their faces underneath their hats. There were spots of rain here and there, but it did not rain fully, which was one thing they were thankful for.

   They followed Leo for more than a half hour around streets and small parks. He told them he had not searched this area yet, and they thought that was because none of them ever came this far, or in this direction from home. They really did not believe any clues, or Raph himself, to be around here, yet they searched on.

   After ten minutes, in which he had split up from his brothers, Donny took off his mittens and reached into his pocket for the artifact. He pulled it out and, after casting a glance around him, held it in front of him, staring at it unblinkingly for it to do anything, if was going to. The crystal in the center only reflected the sky purple, and a single raindrop fell onto it, slashing and creating a tiny, vein-like stream as gravity pulled it down the crystal's side. Donny shook his head after realizing he was transfixed to the little raindrop, and started to walk again. 

   After two hours, of which time they had agreed to rendezvous at Vinny's Pizza shop, Donny and Mikey met before they got to the shop in a small alleyway. Like Don, and as they had grimly predicted, Mikey had found nothing, nor heard nothing, and they received the same news a few minutes later from Leo, who walked in the pizzeria with a bleak expression. It had now started to rain lightly, but the water droplets were bigger than usual. Leo's hat and coat were flecked with small dark spots where the raindrops had soaked in. 

   They ordered a pizza for dinner, and even though they were hungry, they ate slowly, knowing they would have to return outside in the rain again. It seemed to make them all angry that they didn't want to search for a brother, and it could be noticed by the way they gave each other gruff, or short answers. Eventually, they got up from their seats, paid for the pie, left the shop, and in the downpour they loudly told each other they would meet back up again in a further two hours, after which, Leo wanted to go back and search the familiar ground again. This was an all-day search, and they felt sure they wouldn't return home until later that day. With informal byes, they each went in opposite directions, and disappeared around a corner, or through the sheet of rain.

()()()()

   _Where had the day disappeared?_ Prida was amazed at how fast the day had gone. What had she done all day? She had tended to her friend most of the time, changing the cold compress on his forehead, which kept warming up so fast because of his burning skin. He had not woken up yet today, but again he had been tossing his head and moaning as though having a nightmare. Prida found her heart beating because she was panicking and worried sick. What should she do? What could she do? What hadn't she done? His fever was so bad, she was afraid he might just burst into flames. She wasn't even sure if human fevers got this high. She had managed to find a thermometer in the first aid cabinet, one that is placed on the forehead. It was like a strip with the temperature number line on it. She didn't know what temperature turtles should normally be, but it was way over what humans should be. Apart from running around, no doubt creating a huge water bill, she had had to shove Tooks out her house after he got dangerously close to the basement; then she had had to pick up the phone, on the end was her sister, who wanted to talk for ages, and when asked about the money for the call, her sister said she didn't care, she wanted to talk to her 'lil sibling'. Prida had forced her voice to sound relaxed and happy, but it was very difficult when it was the exact opposite. Prida had even taken the phone off the wall and gone as far as she could near to the basement so she could hear if Raph was okay. She thought about telling Mai to hang on a second while she went upstairs and grabbed the cordless phone and take it into the basement with her, but she couldn't risk having Mai hear Raph if he woke. It was very frustrating. After twenty minutes of talking, in which Prida regrettably heard hardly anything of Mai's review of her holiday, they both said their byes and hung up, and Prida had run down to the basement to find her friend still groaning softly, and his washcloth almost as warm as he was. And, apart from looking after Raph, beating Tooks away, answering her sister's phone call and doing the now daily routine of phoning April's apartment, Prida skimmed through all of the medic books upstairs, finding absolutely nothing that could help her. She had retreated back into the basement, thinking about the hospital drama shows on TV and what they did with sick people. Most of it was cutting into people, nothing that would help Prida, but she did know that the reason Raph's temperature was so high was because his body was raising it to fight the virus, as most cannot thrive in high temperature; so she thought of feeding him soup. But what if this kind of virus CAN thrive in high temperatures? That might explain why Raph's just kept rising. No, his temperature was rising because the virus was growing. This thought did not make her feel any better, and a few times she glanced at the numbers on the back of her hand, wondering should she try again, maybe one of the ones she couldn't read proper was wrong, and she should dial in the number that looked like it. For some reason she didn't.

   "Oh Raph," She groaned, falling backwards onto the bed at Raph's feet. "Why can't you wake up and just _tell_ me your phone number?"

   He answered with an audible breath.

   Viruses and fevers could become extremely serious, she knew that, and the worrying thing that kept pestering her thoughts was what the doctor had said. If the symptoms were that bad then he should be brought in to the hospital. Well, he had gotten a lot worse since then, and Prida could not help thinking that if this fever got any worse . . . it might kill him.

   She swallowed and, for no one but herself, put on a determined face.

   "I'm not gonna let you die," she whispered, leaning over on her stomach and placing her hand on his arm under the covers.

()()()()

   The three brothers had now long been in the familiar area, searching hopelessly through the rain, which had eased up on them a little. It was now a small drizzle, but nonetheless, the guys were still drenched from the furious beating it had been doing not long ago. They had remained together this time, instead of splitting up, and every fifteen minutes Donny had taken the artifact from his pocket and held it up for it to do something. It never did, and Don was beginning to lose hope in that as well.

   "Leo, it's almost nine," Mikey moaned quietly and tiredly. "We can't do any more tonight . . ."

   Leo said nothing, he didn't even look at his brother, but he had heard him.

   "Mikey's right," Donny said. "We can't lose our strength in a day when there are other days to keep looking. We oughtta go home."

   Leo took in a deep sigh and while he let it out slowly, he nodded.

   They turned around and walked out of the alleyway they were in, and realized where they were. April's apartment was only a few blocks away, but she was hardly ever in. She was either busy at work, searching though papers for anything that might lead to Raph, asking people if they had seen anything weird, or with Casey, either at his place or out looking. Leo did not want to give in until he found his brother.

  All three brothers looked down the street they had come out onto, in the direction of April's apartment. They were about to turn and walk in the opposite, but Donny stopped them.

   "Hey," he frowned, like something was wrong. He plunged a hand into his pocket and pulled out the artifact. The metal appeared to be glowing slightly, and so did the crystal, but it looked like there was purple oil in the crystal, and it was moving and glowing.

   "Wow," Mikey said, surprised it had done anything. But before any of them could wonder aloud why it was glowing, or why there was suddenly oil in the crystal, Leo was suddenly knocked to the ground with a startled grunt, and before Mikey could move, something knocked his head so hard he hit the floor next to Leo, seeing bright lights instead of pavement.

   Donny, who was grasping the crystal in both hands, was casting shifty glances at the attackers that had surrounded them. It was none other than the five crooks they had stolen the crystal from, and by the looks on their faces, they intended to do the same.

   "Well, look what we have here," the woman spoke, with a smug grin on her face. She and another man were the only ones who did not have black faces masks. "I think you'll find that the artifact belongs to us."

   Leo and Mikey climbed a little unsteadily to their feet, and took up defensive stances, shifting about so they didn't keep the same person in front too long. It was five against three. It would have been easy, and probably still was, but the guys were tired, hungry and cold.

   "Don't think so," Donny said in a low voice, keeping the woman in sight, but glancing around at the circle they were caught inside.

   It all seemed to happen as though someone pressed an 'action' button. Everyone suddenly jumped to life, and was now in close combat. Two of the men went down with two punches by Mikey and Leo, but the rest had gone after Donny with the artifact. He had downed one of them, but the woman was proving to be a pretty good street fighter, as was the man without the mask. Before Leo and Mike could even pull the man off Donny, the artifact had been kicked from his grip, and caught by one of the black-masked men Leo had knocked down. Donny delivered a kick to the exposed-faced man, who was sent stumbling away, and Don turned to see the woman and the man who had the artifact speeding away, and rounded the corner. Don turned the other way to see Leo running full speed after the man Donny had sent stumbling. But the man managed to cross the next street just before a car blared past, forcing Leo to stop. The car stopped to shout at Leo, and while it wasted time, the man had disappeared. Leo had the urge to grab the man in the car and bellow at him for losing the man he was chasing, and then punch him, but he resisted and turned away from the angry insults. The car drove away as Leo walked back to Mikey and Donny. They all felt angry and defeated.

   "They'll have probably chosen a new place to stash the artifact," Leo said bitterly. "They won't stay in that mansion since they know we know where it is."

   Neither Donny or Mikey said anything, but all three started walking back towards the manhole they always used. Mikey broke the silence.

   "That artifact had never done that before, had it?" He asked his brother in purple.

   Don shook his head. "No, I've never seen it do anything."

   "It must have acted as a warning," Mikey said. "It started glowing just before those crooks attacked us."

   Donny didn't say anything. Maybe that was the reason it started glowing, maybe not. Well, he wasn't going to find out what it might do afterwards now.

   They walked the rest of the way home in silence, down the manhole, through the sewer tunnels, and down the ladder into their lair. After taking off their hats and coats, Mikey went into the kitchen where he made warm drinks, and Leo and Donny collapsed on the couch, glad that they had taken the weight off their aching feet. Mikey handed them mugs of steaming tea a minute later, and sat down in Raph's armchair with his own. They still said nothing, and the one to break the silence was Splinter's door as it opened, and the rat emerged from his room. All three brothers glanced at him, but they all jumped to their feet, quickly putting their mugs down as Splinter stumbled weakly out of his room.

   "Splinter what is it?" Leo asked, supporting his Master.

   "Nothing, Leonardo, nothing bad," he replied as Mikey and Leo led him to his chair, and then Mikey rushed back into the kitchen to make another drink. "I was meditating, only I realized I might be able locate your brother if I used the majority of my strength."

   His sons seemed to sigh with relief that it was not anything serious, and Mikey walked back to them carrying Splinter's own mug, which he had decorated himself when he was little with the name 'Splinta'.

   "Thank you Michelangelo," he gratefully took the mug and took a sip from it.

   But his sons seemed to be waiting for other information Splinter would tell them.

   "Did you find anything, Sensei?" Donny asked attentively.

   The rat lowered the mug. "Yes, I did . . . your brother is alive, but I cannot tell if he is okay, nor can I locate him."

   The three turtles, kneeling on the floor, sat back, letting their heads fall back with a truly relieved sign and an opened-mouthed smile. They turned to each other and hugged one another tightly.

   "At least he's alive," Donny said, his smile was small, but true. Then it faded. "But if he still has a cold, it could have become much worse, it could have developed into something serious . . ."

   Leo turned from Donny to Splinter. "Is he still in New York? Can you tell?"

   "I believe he is still here," their Sensei answered, and all three brothers glanced at each other. They had combed the surrounding area; it must mean that he was at the very end of the city, but somehow they didn't believe that thought.

//

   "Please wake up, please," Prida said desperately in a slightly high voice, her eyes were starting to itch from the tears that were about to well up. Her friend's temperature had risen yet more, and he just didn't seem to want to wake, but he kept tossing his head, and groaning, and it was scaring her. Not Raph himself, but the way he turned his head, the way he was sweating. Prida knew with a horrible jolt of her heart, that her friend was not going to last much longer. She dared not leave the house to April's, she felt so frustrated, and so sad that her friend couldn't get proper treatment. What if she phoned a doctor, and told him to come over, that she had a special friend, who needed solitary treatment? No, they would not understand, they would take him away from her . . . but he wasn't exactly _with_ her now . . . Prida stopped turning and turning the wash cloth over on his forehead, soaking his bandanna, and stood up. Her heart didn't seem to know its normal pace, neither did her breathing as she headed for the stairs, walking backwards. She swallowed and raced up the basement steps to the phone in the hallway. "Okay, I'm gonna try again," she said to herself, "and if you, Mr. I-don't-know-who-you-are answer it again, I'm gonna . . ." but what she was going to do she didn't say aloud. She picked up the receiver, and looked at the hand with the phone number on it. She shakily started to push the numbers in, until she got to the one she could not make out. She squinted at it, and remembered what she had pushed before. With a shaky hand she pushed the number she thought it looked like, not the one she thought she KNEW it was, and pushed the rest. Then, with a shaky hand, she held the phone up to her ear, and listened to the mixed sounds of the dial tone, and her heart thudding.

//

   Leo, Donny and Mikey looked up as a ring replaced the silence. For a second they just looked at each other, and then Leo got up and walked over to the phone. April doesn't usually phone, she just comes over, and Casey only phones when he wants Raph to meet him somewhere. Leo, a bit more slowly than usual, picked up the receiver cutting the ring off, and put it against his ear.

   "Hello?" He said into it, slowly.

   On the other end Prida froze. Now that was NOT the voice of a middle-aged male. That was the voice of a teen male, and by hell did her heart jump, and then it froze. It was Leo . . . it was Leo! She was so happy to hear that voice that she couldn't even smile. Her mouth had frozen, as had her entire body. Her brain was slowly sending messages for her to reply, but she didn't want to, she just wanted to him to keep talking so she could hear it again. She had missed that voice so much, it felt unreal to have heard it! Raph _had_ given her the right number! She had misdialed it!

   "Hello?" That voice that made her heart jump again said. She could almost see him frowning at the last of response, but she didn't care for a second. The next second she did though, because she didn't want him to put the phone down when she had an important message to say.

   "H – hello . . ." she said carefully, wondering if he would recognize her voice straight away. Well, no he wouldn't, of course not; he thought she was dead. If he knew she were alive THEN he would have recognized it.

   Leo frowned. That wasn't April's voice, but it was female. "Who is this?"

   Prida didn't answer straight away, she was savoring his voice. She realized she would feel awkward saying "It's Prida", and she realized that Leo might not believe her. But what else _could_ she say?

   "It's . . . " she started.

    Leo pressed the phone closer. Did he miss her name, or had she just not said it yet? Her voice sounded strangely familiar . . .

   "It's . . . Prida." That wasn't too bad to say.

   Leo did not move or say anything else. All of a sudden, as soon as the girl on the other end of the phone said that name, something inside his head shouted at him 'it's true! It's her! She's not dead dude!' This voice was like an imaginary Mikey. What happened to his own? It had disappeared somewhere when he needed its view on this. As soon as that name was said, the voice was labeled: that was Prida's voice . . . so what – the hell?

   His expression must have been odd, as Don had walked up beside him, and on the floor next to Splinter, Mikey was watching.

   "Leo who is it?" Donny asked, frowning at Leo's expression, who had lowered the phone a little way from his ear, with a face as though he had seen a pleasant, humorous ghost.

   "It's Prida," Leo said as though it was someone who called often, in a slightly higher tone than usual.

   Donny's frown froze from increasing. What had his brother just said? Donny slowly took the phone from his brother and held it to his own ear as Mikey frowned at Splinter behind him.

   "Hello?" Donny asked with a curious tone. Who had fooled Leo into thinking it was Prida? Or was his brother just joking, and Donny missed the tone.

   "Donny?" The voice on the other end answered. She had expected a long pause, possibly even the droning dial tone. But Leo had not hung up. Now she heard Donny's voice, and she wished he'd say something else.

   Don frowned. "April?"

   "No, no Donny listen, don't freak," Prida said desperately. "It's me, Prida . . . I swear, it's really me . . ."

   "S' not possible," Donny said quietly after a moment's pause. "Prida's dead . . ."

   "No, please Don, I didn't die –" Prida said quickly, in a soft voice. "Please believe me . . ." she was surprised to find a tear running down her cheek.

   Donny, who was frozen on the other end, listened to that familiar voice. Leo seemed to have recovered as Mikey got up and started walking over, and grabbed the phone.

   "This isn't funny if this is a prank," he said in a low serious tone, teeth gritted. "This is cruel . . . We _saw_ Prida get killed . . ."

   Tears were streaming down her face, but her voice held strong. "No, you _thought_ you saw me die,_ but I didn't!_ I survived the burning car wreck . . . as you survived the truck explosion . . ."

   Leo shook his head slightly, numbly. "Can't be . . . all this time . . . we thought you were . . . four months we thought you were dead . . ."

   "And I thought _you_ were dead," she said quickly. "See? Please, Leo, believe me, you have to . . ."

   Leo didn't know what to say. What if he had fallen asleep on the couch a minute ago and this was just a dream. No, he had never had a conversation with Prida in a dream before. She had never spoke. But his mind was beginning to accept her truth; it just felt like an eternity for it to realize that was Prida on the other end of the phone.

   "Leo? Leo please, I can tell you anything only I would know, like I know you're missing you brother –"

   Leo snapped to attention.

   " – I know you're worried about him, you don't know where he is because he's here, Leo, he's with me – but he's sick, Leo, I need you and your brothers here, you have to come . . . I think he's dying . . ."


	10. Dead Meet Dead

Undiscovered Power

~

Leo ordered Donny to get whatever he needed to treat a serious cold straight away, and ignored poor Mikey asking what was this all about, and why he had heard Prida's name mentioned in the phone conversation. Finally Splinter stopped his son for second and told him to explain, and Leo did do while he was busy pulling on his trench coat, and throwing Mikey his own. It was pretty big news, Mikey found out, and double since it seemed Raph was not going to be lasting long. His mind was in overload, but somehow he managed to keep his questions silent, and the sudden urgent, fluttering energy that was killing him to be let out. Splinter was silent, for he too was caught by surprise by the unbelievable news that someone who they had thought was dead, had just spoken to his sons on the phone.

   Donny had packed a backpack with almost all of his medical equipment and treatments. He even had an intravenous drip, which was thanks to April. He couldn't take the IV stand though, so he threw in a metal-centered pipe cleaner and duct tape to fasten it to the bed should he need to. His heart was racing more than it had when he had heard Prida's voice on the phone. He knew it would be up to him to treat their brother, but he had never tackled any seriously threatening virus, as it sounded.

   The air that had once seemed quiet when they had been listening to Leo answer the phone was now buzzing with apprehension and unsettled shock. Splinter watched as they left quickly, muttering to themselves that it seemed unreal to be heading to a dead friend's house. Leo actually turned around in the sewers and yelled at Mikey that Prida wasn't dead, and then he continued on. Mikey remained blank faced the rest of the way, partly because the yell seemed to have disturbed him, and partly because there were so many emotions building up inside him he didn't know which one to show on his expression, so he didn't show one at all. They ran at full speed through the sewers, without a word, but it seemed to all three that it wasn't quiet at all. In their heads were so many mixed up and confused voices it seemed the sewers were packed with people all talking.

   Donny felt afraid he would not have the right treatment for his brother, and he promised himself if he hadn't, he would take a risk and phone someone who could. Don and his brothers could make sure no one would do anything other than help their fourth brother. But the idea seemed crazy. When was April going to find out? When would they be able to get back down to Splinter, and would he be all right on his own? He should have come with them, Donny realized with a jolt of his heart. There were way too many questions queuing up in his brain, he suddenly felt claustrophobic as his eyes skimmed over the dark, damp sewer walls that sped past them as they ran on.

   It seemed to take an eternity to reach the manhole, and they realized they were only half way. Prida's house was almost a mile away, and this seemed to frustrate them even more. They had forgotten the distance to her place in their haste to gather what they needed and leave for it. They felt as though they wasted so much time running through the dark streets, being soaked by the heavy downpour, and joined in the night by claps of thunder, and flashes of lightning. This made the atmosphere seem much more urgent. It felt like a film, in which they had only a short time to reach their destination before it was too late. A film where the most tension-filling and slow motion instrumental music was played, while other sounds were taken out, and movements exaggerated. To Leo, it felt like someone or something had moved Prida's house that far away on purpose, and this ludicrous thought only made him angry, allowing him to ignore the painful stitch in his side.

   And to Prida, it seemed to take them forever to get there. It was like the tension in her heart had just been increased since she called the three brothers, like now she had, Raph only had a certain amount of time, as though a timer had been set. It was driving her crazy, but she managed to restrain herself from falling to her knees and screaming at the ceiling; though if she did she knew she would feel better, and she knew she would probably be calmer. Maybe she was inheriting Raph's impatience as he slowly grew worse and worse in the room below.

   Prida made her way to the window in one of their TV rooms that looked out onto the road and the front gate. Even though it was raining she would still be able to see them from here. But she doubted even at their fast running speed they would be rounding the corner that second, so she went back down into the basement were Raph was unnervingly still. She approached him and was almost glad when he jerked his head with a groan.

   The water in the bowl on the table was probably warm from all the times she kept dipping the burning washcloth in it, but she drenched the blue material in the water again and replaced it on her friend's green skin.

   "I reached your brothers, Raph," she said quietly, letting the water cupped in her hands drip onto his face. "They're on their way." She felt a smile on her face because, however worried she felt for Raph, she was heavenly happy from hearing Leo and Donny's voices. She couldn't wait until they had taken care of Raph and made sure his fever would not raise anymore, so she could properly hear the relaxed tones of those two, and get to hear Mikey's voice. He would surely make her smile. She softened her grin and decided to return to the window and watch out for three drenched figures running through her gate. She stood up and made her way up the stairs to the room in which she could look out of the window.

   No sooner had she stopped at the sill, she saw the three dark figures suddenly materialize through the rain, and her heart did a somersault for each figure. She turned away from the window as they got past the gate, and raced through the house to the front door, reaching the kitchen as a banging was heard over the noise of the sudden roar of thunder, and her own thudding heartbeat. She halted at the door, almost ramming into it, and wrenched the unlocked door open.

   There, stood in triangle formation, were the three drenched, mutant turtle teens. They looked up as the door was pulled opened, and it seemed everyone froze. Prida stared at the nearest face, at the eyes behind the blue bandanna. Without moving herself, she switched her gaze behind Leo to his left to Mikey, and then to Leo's right, Donny, aware her mouth was opened, allowing stray raindrops to spill over her lips. And then the movement returned, and Leo and Prida both moved forward at the same time, catching each other in a tight hug, burring their faces in the other's shoulder as Mikey and Donny joined the huddle. Prida didn't realize she was half gasping, half sobbing tearlessly. She took her face out of Leo's shoulder and looked at Mikey, grasping his hand that was on her arm on Leo's shell. With the other hand she grabbed Donny's, and they exchanged saddened but happy looks.

   "I can't believe it's you," she heard Leo breathe.

   "Same here," she sniffed, a smile on her face. She was not sure if she had been crying or not because she was soaked from the rain. She was barefooted on her doorstep. Mikey and Donny seemed too happy for words.

   "C'mon, we gotta go in," Leo told her, though he didn't let go, and neither did Donny or Mikey. Their smiles grew, creasing their closed eyes as no one moved.

   Prida let out a short chuckle, face pressed back into Leo's neck; cheek fattened again Donny's. She was getting soaked by the second, and they all looked as though they had taken a dive in a lake. Finally, without anyone breaking the huddle, Leo, arms tightly around Prida, picked up her where she was, and with his brothers latched onto him, he shuffled inside the house, and they all could not help but laugh. Their spirits had been lifted so high they didn't want to move. But Prida managed to pull away, arms still draped over Leo's shoulders; hands still grasping Donny and Mikey's.

   "You gotta see to Raph," she said, smile gone. "He's in the basement – I didn't know what to do –"

   But Donny had let go of her hand, dripping coat dropped on the doormat, and was already heading towards the basement, seeming to know where it was straight away.

   Mikey lifted her hand he was still holding and gently pulled her away from Leo, as he gave a thankful nod at her, and followed Donny quickly after taking his own coat off, exposing his green skin, and dropping it on Don's. Mikey pulled Prida into an embrace, and she rubbed her cheek against the side of his head, her heart was still racing she was sure, being pressed against him, Mikey could feel it.

   Mikey wanted so much to go down to the basement and see his brother, who he missed as much as he realized he had missed Prida over the four months. But he did not want to get in Donny's way, and he wanted to hold Prida until his brothers had to pull them apart.

   "So," Mikey sniffed, "are ya gonna tell us what happened?" He pulled away and watched her face, taking in every beautiful detail about her, even her ruffled hair.

   She smiled sadly and said softly, "I'm gonna tell you all, when Raph's . . . okay . . ." the big worry was, is he going to BE okay?

   He did not say or do anything for a second, and then he nodded understandingly, and she embraced him again, leaning her head on his collarbone. They both wanted to be down in the basement with the other three, but Mikey knew Donny had brought syringes, and he wasn't too keen on watching those being inserted under his brother's skin. Prida on the other hand, didn't care after needles; she just wanted to see Raph being treated at last.

    Leo appeared in the hallway from the basement, and gave a smile as his brother pulled away from his friend.

   "I thought you were with Donny?" Mikey asked rather quietly, wondering why his brother had come back upstairs. Mikey would have thought Leo would like to have remained with Raph until he knew he was okay.

   "There's nothing I can do," Leo said softly as he pulled Prida into a short hug, and then stood back. "I felt so helpless, and Raph was  . . . tossing his head in his fever . . . it scared me," he admitted much quieter. Prida suddenly felt the strong urge to lock him in another hug until he stopped feeling scared for his brother.

   Mikey opened his mouth but it was a second or two before he said anything. "I-is he . . . going to be okay?" He asked in a shaky voice, which gave away the signs of effort he was making to keep his voice from sounding even shakier at the disturbing images of Raph rolling his read.

   Leo didn't look at his brother, but his eyes kept dancing from spot to spot on the floor; nor did he answer him.

   "We should go sit down, wait in the living room," he suggested in a voice that sounded slightly weak. Leo wanted to hear about what happened to Prida after they thought she had died and she they, but he was too worried to ask.

   They moved into the big, dark living room they had once played Twister in, and Prida lit the log fire. After it had grown it bathed everyone in a soft, warm glow, and somehow, they felt that little bit more relaxed in the house. Every now and then a faint lighting flash would light up the room from the front room in which Prida had watched out for the turtles. Leo settled himself down on the edge of the dark blue couch, hands covering his face, and Mikey sat down next to the fire. Prida remained standing as she saw Leo had sat on the end closest to the heat as well, and she realized they must be cold after having come all the way from, well, she didn't know where they had come, but she guessed it was far. They looked up at her when she did not sit.

   "I'll make you hot drinks," she said in a serious tone, so they knew she realized they must be cold. She turned to the kitchen, through the opening in the wall with no door (there are three entrances into the kitchen, one through the hallway, one through the living room, and the other leading into the back rooms), and walked up to the refrigerator. She proceeded to make four steaming mugs of hot chocolate, and brought Mikey and Leo's in quickly. They seemed very grateful, and thanked her. She could see them shaking, and remembered that turtles were cold-blooded, so the cold probably effected them more than her. Prida walked over to the couch Leo was sat on, and picked up the dark, burgundy colored throw rug that was draped over the middle of the couch. She then unfolded it and draped it around Leo, who seemed slightly surprised at her thoughtfulness. He thanked her as she took the other one off the single chair, knelt down and gently wrapped Mikey up, who smiled tiredly. She then went back into the kitchen for Donny's drink. She wondered how long he was going to spend on Raph. With slow movements, she put his drink in the microwave so it wouldn't turn cold too quickly, and picked up her own. She wanted to take Donny's down to him, but she dared not disturb him. She returned to the living room, aware most of her movements seemed slow, as if not just her face showed the happiness and sadness, but her whole bodily motions.

   Prida looked at her two friends in the room. Mikey, with the throw rug draped around him, was staring into the fire, an expression on his face of automatic, sad thoughts. Leo had been staring down into his drink, but looked up and smiled weakly as she walked in. They were sad for their brother, yet she could tell they were also feeling sad about the fact that all this time they had thought that their friend was dead, and the pain and suffering they went through was not necessary as she wasn't. She realized they must also still be in slight shock. She herself had known they were alive for a bit longer because Raph had told her so, and she was still grasping it. But, however sad that cruel twist of fate had been for her, being in the coma and having her think her friends were dead and vice versa, she was beyond happiness to find them alive.

   She sat down next to Leo, and cuddled close to him, tucking her legs underneath her. He smiled and, letting go of his mug with one hand, put an arm around her and she lent her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling so safe and secure sat there, she never wanted to move, and she wished she could have enjoyed it more if she had nothing to worry about.

   They didn't utter a word for what seemed like an hour. It was about fifteen minutes before Prida opened her eyes and glanced at the clock, illuminated on the VCR. She looked up and found Leo had dozed off, and she looked around him to the fire where Mikey was curled up, still in front of it. Both had drunk their hot chocolates she saw as she carefully lifted Leo's arm and placed it down next to him on the couch. She took his mug, got up and picked up Mikey's, and made her way back to the kitchen, where she tried putting the cups down without making any clink sounds. She then opened the microwave and pulled out Donny's. It wasn't steaming, but it was still warm, and she made her way out of the kitchen, through the living room and to the basement. She took the stairs carefully, trying not to make a sound, and trying not to spill the full drink. She reached the bottom and slowly turned the corner, peering from around the edge of the wall. Donny had his shell to her, sat on the side of his thighs, legs curled round, leaning on the bed, obviously asleep. She walked over and saw that he had fallen asleep on his right cheek, mouth slightly open in that cute way. His cheek was on his own hand, which was holding Raph's. Raph, she noticed, had stopped tossing his head, and was sleeping peacefully with his head turned towards her, also with his mouth open slightly. She could see his chest, or plastron, rise and fall gently and steadily. There was a drip taped into his other hand, and the transparent bag was stuck to the bedpost with what looked like duct tape. The tube had also been tied to the bed with a bent pipe cleaner. Prida sighed silently with a smile as she looked down at the turtle in purple. Donny had saved Raph. 

   She placed the mug down on the bedside table, then she moved to the end of the bed and reached down between the bed and the wall to a spare sheet she had kicked off the time she slept down here. She unfolded it, noticing the creasing it had formed, and laid it over Donny. When her hand brushed against his arm he made a noise and shifted his legs before he opened his bleary eyes.

   "Huh?" He grunted softly, confused for a second before blinking a few rapid times and looking up at her. "Prida," he said as she knelt down beside him, with a soft smile on her face. He reflected it and said in a quiet tone, "he's okay."

   Prida closed her eyes for a second before hugging him. They pulled away and Donny asked, "Where are the others?"

   "They're asleep," she answered in the same quiet tone as he used.

   "They _were_ asleep," came a tired voice, and they both looked up to see Leo and Mikey at the end of the wall. Mikey was rubbing his eyes.

   They both walked towards Don, Prida and the bed, and Mikey crawled onto it, sitting down with his shell against the wall, and one leg across Raph's. He held his brothers taped up hand in both of his and looked up at Donny with a tired, yet very happy smile.

   "He'll be okay," Donny whispered with the slightest nod of his head, and a genuinely happy, but small smile.

   Then, all smiling, they moved forward at the same time into a tight, happy hug.

~

Thanks a billion for your reviews, I hope you liked this chapter becoz it was god damn difficult! I'm not used to writing such ***luks up at story*** sensitive? Mushy? Touching – ah, that's the word – chapters, lol. I only just realized how long it took for them to finally meet bk up with Prida, and I'm sorry, I didn't realize my story was dragging on. Next chapter will either be updated before Saturday, or not until 2 weeks, coz I'm going on vacation, but I get to take my Laptop with me! Mwahaha, I think the main reason the holiday was booked was to get me away from computers, ***snigger*** so I get to write while away. (plz tell me if this is getting too boring, or too ***makes face*** _touching_, coz it's not ment to be, I must have been imagining myself in this chapter ***grins insanely***. So adios, cya, turtle power.


	11. Death Explained

Undiscovered Power

~

   They all moved upstairs out of the basement, in fear of any stray germs from them could infect the recovering Raph, and where the frozen Donny could warm up by the fire after being down in the cold basement. He brought his drink upstairs with him, and took up Mikey's place by the crackling fire. Mikey and Leo sat on the navy couch, sharing the throw rug, and Prida sat in the single chair, watching them.

   "Anything exiting to tell us then?" Mikey asked in a quiet, but totally Mikey tone. "What we missed out on?" He was thinking along the lines of school. Man how he missed being ordinary ( - well, almost -) and annoying the Math teacher.

   "How about we start from the beginning," Donny suggested softly. "Like . . . what happened to you after the truck exploded, and the car?"

   Prida shifted her gaze from his face, which was half bathed in the fire glow, to the floor between them.

   "Well, I know what happened to you," she told them. "Raph told me you managed to escape from the burning truck and down into a manhole . . ."

   "Yeah, Casey saved us," Mikey said quietly. His normal voice tone was lost at the minute.

   Prida nodded. "I saw the truck explode, and just after it seems you saw me get blasted from the car explosion, and I was told something from the car landed on me, and you thought I had died . . ."

   All three brothers nodded slowly. 

   Prida glanced at each of them before continuing. "I was taken into hospital, where the doctors spent three hours trying to save me," she glanced at their faces again before looking back to the floor. It seemed easier to look at it while she was speaking. "I fell into a coma after they put me in Intensive Care, and I was predicted never to wake up. The coma lasted for five days . . . and then, the weird thing," she spoke like she was reminding herself rather than telling her friends, "was that I sort of half woke up from it, but in a sense I was still asleep . . . my sister said I had some sort of fit, but I can remember it so clearly." A distant painful frown creased her smooth forehead slightly, and her voice became softer. "I remember feeling like I was being ripped from something, and I saw blackness, but I could feel pain . . . and I couldn't move, I couldn't tell anyone I was in agony. My back was so painful from the burns, and the rest of me was just pain . . . I could hear voices every now and again, and Mai said I was crying in my sleep . . . it was weird, and it lasted for four days before I woke up properly. No one had thought I was going to, and I woke up to the pain of losing you guys. I really wanted to fall back into the deep coma . . ."

   Prida glanced up from the floor to her friends' faces. They were all identical, showing sad sympathy for her. It was, now she had finished and thought about it, a horrible way to nearly die.

   They didn't speak for a while, and the only sound was of the dying thunder and the crackling fire. The three brothers didn't know what to say after a story like that, and all felt a guilty pang for the easy escape they had from death. Because of them, their friend had been in a painful coma and they felt at complete blame for her pain. They had all noticed the pendant that hung around her neck as their eyes strayed to it, and were confirmed it was the same symbol as those on the artifact. It seemed really weird.

   "I'm really sorry," Leo whispered after a few seconds in which they stared at her, and she stared at the floor near Donny.

   "Don't be," she said quietly, earnestly.

   They shared another few seconds in silence, and then Donny spoke up.

   "How did you and Raph find each other?" He asked, almost in his normal tone.

   Prida opened her mouth to say something but found the answer amusing, and so she smiled and said with a tilt of her head, "I ran into him . . . literally, in my sister's car. He ran straight across in front of me and I knocked him down. My sister's gonna ask where that dint came from."

   All three turtles chuckled softly, and Mikey said with a small, gently smirk on his face, "I bet you were shocked to see you had run down a mutant turtle."

   Prida's faded smile returned as she uttered a quiet, short laugh, as the turtle brothers smiled, knowing what her laugh had meant.

   "Where is your sister?" Leo asked, bringing up the absence of Mai.

   "She's on her honeymoon with Korey," Prida replied. "She's probably in England now, she _had_ been in Egypt for five says, she'll be back in another four."

   The guys were slightly surprised to find their friend's sister had married her boyfriend, but then those two had been a great couple and it was not so surprising after second thoughts. They felt they had missed out on a lot, because Mai and Korey had both been nice to them when they had been human.

   "Sooooo," Prida said, "what have you been doing all these months?" She wanted the casual topics backs, conversations schoolmates would start; she wanted to avoid the sad side of it.

   "Missing _you_?" Mikey said, and then a smile curled on his lips. "Well we've been trying to get the old life back again, serious training and stuff, looking out for Shred Head."

   Donny spoke quickly after Mikey had stopped. "Prida, you don't happen to be, er, _missing_ anything of yours, do you? Say, something triangular with a purple crystal in the center, missing for a while?"

   Prida frowned and shook her head. "No, why?"

   "Ever _seen_ anything like I described?" He persisted.

   Again Prida shook her head, and watched Donny.

   "Hmmm," Donny murmured, watching the floor while chewing his lip. He looked up at Prida. "Never mind, nothing important." What a lie, he believed it to be mega important, but he just didn't want to explain to Prida what they had found out over the past few days right there.

   Their conversations became slower and soon stopped altogether when Prida saw they had dropped to sleep. She too was tired, and after only a few seconds she had closed her eyes and drifted off as well, her slumber dreamless and relaxing for the first time in months.

   It was only an hour later when Mikey woke up, and realized that he had dropped to sleep as he looked around the room and saw his two brothers were asleep as well as Prida. The fire was still burning warmly, though slightly less strong, and the thunder and lightning had finished altogether. The night was now dark, quiet and peaceful, and the atmosphere in the Valantine house was the happiest and relaxed it had been in months.

   Mikey unfolded his legs and rolled off the couch with tired limbs. He walked out of the room and towards the basement door. With heavy, but quiet footsteps he descended the steps and made his way around to the bed that held his brother, where he laid down, curled up in-between Raph and the wall, leaning on his brother's shell, and fell back asleep.

   Back in the living room it was nearly another hour before Leo awoke and found Mikey was not among them in the room. Donny stirred on the floor next to the dying fire, but he did not open his eyes, and Leo glanced from him to Prida slouched down in the single chair. He could only guess where Mikey had gone to, and he made his way to the basement, making his way silently down it to find his brother was indeed with his other brother.

   Leo didn't know how long he stood there for, thoughts invading his head, but he heard the quiet creak of the staircase behind him, and half turned to see both Donny and Prida, heavy eyelids, walking down the steps. It appeared they too knew where the other two had disappeared.

   "Mikey really did miss him," Leo said, smiling as he turned back to look at his brother in orange, who was sleeping peacefully, his cheek pressed against his hand which was leaning on Raph's plastron.

   Prida and Donny let out small, quiet chuckles, and they all perked up a bit as Raph stirred on the bed, his head rolled over to face them, and his eyes opened. They saw Leo first, and then took in Donny and Prida behind him. He found his body was burning still, but he concentrated his exhausted mind on his brother and his friend.

   Raph managed a smile, and said in a hoarse voice, "Guys, this is Prida; she's not dead."

   They all chuckled and moved over to Raph, who was smothered in hugs from Leo and Donny, while Prida stepped back, smiling. They were all together again. Raph looked very tired, with his eyelids half open and his slow movements as he hugged his brothers back. Leo was smiling widely, and Donny was grinning. Mikey was still asleep on the bed on Raph, who noticed him and gave him a fond pat on the head. Raph looked at the drip taped into his hand and then placed his other hand on his burning forehead. It felt less hotter than before, and he knew Donny had probably acted Doctor.

   "God, Raph we missed you," Leo said finally, kneeled down right next to him.

   Raph looked past Leo and Don to Prida and said, "You got the phone number right then?"

   She smiled. "Yeah, I dialed one of the numbers wrong first time and didn't realize." She held up her hand, trying to read the ink that had run from the raindrops earlier. "You should go back to school and learn how to write."

   They all chuckled, and at that point Mikey groaned and lifted his head from his hands on Raph's stomach and opened his eyes tiredly. He blinked a few times before he noticed Leo, Donny and Prida were staring at him, and then he noticed Raph and his mouth opened to say something, but instead he grinned and threw himself at Raph in a rib-crushing hug.

   Leo, Donny and Prida smiled as Raph made a joking gagging noise, and Mikey pulled away, still grinning.

   "Mike, don't kill me," Raph said in a half choked voice. "I think I've only just escaped death once." His voice was still not his at its strongest.

   Everyone chuckled at this, and Mikey beamed at Donny, and Leo glanced at his brother with a smile.

   Prida shoved her hands in her pockets and said to Raph, "Hungry? Bet you are, you only had cereal the other day; I can make you something."

   Raph looked up. "Starved, but I'll get it, I can't stand being in bed any longer," he said as he pulled the sheets off him and started to move his stiff legs off the bed and to the floor. But Donny stopped him.

   "I think it's best if you stayed in bed for another day," he explained hastily. "You still have a high temperature." And before Raph could protest he stood up and looked at Prida behind him. "C'mon, I'll see what you've got in food wise that he can have." And with a smiling glance at Raph, Prida turned with the brother in purple and disappeared upstairs.

   "The doctor has spoken," Mikey boomed in a deep voice, and then cracked into a grin as he took the sheets off him and pulled them back over his brother, helping him back into bed. Leo got up and sat on the edge as Raph lay down with a small scowl on his face. He felt the slightest bit annoyed that Donny was now restricting him to a diet, but he was still happy to see his brothers, and how they immediately started looking after him. Not many people had three brothers, and hardly anyone had a brother like Donny.

   To keep Raph's mind off everything that annoyed him, Leo started explaining how they had missed him and how they searched everywhere for him, and when Casey found Raph's fedora, and they thought the worst, or they thought he had been aiming for April's but hadn't got there. In a few minutes Prida and Donny returned and Raph was handed a bowl of vegetable soup, not something he would have chosen after having eaten nothing but a bowl of cereal for four days. Prida then started to explain how she was panicking while having no one to help her look after her reptilian friend, and how she phoned the doctor and the vet. Having had hardly anything to say, Raph had drifted to sleep again, and it was ten minutes later when everyone stopped talking and noticed. They decided to leave him and moved upstairs, into the kitchen where Prida made them something to eat, since they were all hungry.

   "Do you get to eat much down in the sewers?" She asked, as she opened cupboards and brought out plates. She began making them French toast and a whole fried breakfast, even though it was early morning. She was not the best cook, and so Mikey helped her, doing something he loved he didn't mind making his own breakfast.

   "Well, we gather what we can and store it in our kitchen," Leo explained, taking a bite out of his toast as the eggs were sizzling away in the frying pan on the electric cooker. He and Donny were sat on the high stools with the counter in front of them. It was a cool kitchen, fairly big, with a counter running around most of the wall, and a small cutting table in the center of one half of the kitchen where the counter Leo and Don were sat on jutted out, half separating it from the rest of the kitchen.

   "We have to scavenge for money," Donny said, a slightly different tone in his voice than usual. "And buy what we can with that, it's not much, but at least it's something." Then he saw Prida's face, and he said quickly, "But you wouldn't believe what some people drop outta their wallets."

   "Well," she said with a smile, tuning back to the frying pan, "You'll always be welcome here if you're ever hungry, or, for any reason at all."

   "Yeah, we know," Mikey smiled, brushing past her to get another plate. He already knew his way around almost. He filled the plate he had taken from the cupboard with fried food, and handed it to Leo, who passed it to Donny, and then took the next one Mikey had done. Mike had only just finished dishing up a plate for Prida when the doorbell rang, and everyone froze. From in this part of the kitchen, the front door could bee seen clearly, and whoever was at the front door could see into the kitchen.

   Prida dropped the fork she was just about to use to dish something up, and said in a slightly hurried voice, "Could you guys, hide . . . ?" But she turned around to see they had disappeared, and she raised an eyebrow. "Wow." Then she half walked, half ran to the door, unlocked the bolts, turned the key and opened the door a foot. She let out an irritated sigh, and said, "Tooks, what are you doing here so early?"

   He didn't have his usual greeting smile on his face, instead it was a curious one, and he frowned slightly at her tone, looking behind her into the hallway and through to the kitchen.

   "I wanted to see how you were," he said, inviting himself in and stopping in the hallway, eyes glancing around as if he knew something had been changed and couldn't put his finger on it. "And to see why you hadn't been in school the whole week, and a whole load of other questions but you can answer that one first." He turned around to her as she closed the door, nervousness in her eyes.

   "School?" Prida said in a slightly high voice. She had forgotten about that completely! "I, er, was feeling really bad, remember? I felt real sick, but don't worry, I'm feeling better now." She could almost imagine the guys' faces as they recognized Tooks' voice.

   Jo Took watched her with his curious smile and one eyebrow lowered. "Okaaay," he said. "Well, you missed quite a bit."

   She nodded just to show she was paying attention, and hoped he would go when he saw she was fine. But she saw his eyes flicked down to the left of her feet, and with a horrible jolt realized a second before she looked down also that there were three trench coats in a pile, still damp.

   "Whose are they?" He asked, his head still looking down in the direction of the coats, but his eyes looked back up at her.

   Prida's head snapped back to his face and she had a nervous smile on her face, but one that seemed to be hiding something. It was falsely sweet.

   "Korey's," she said, really hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions.

   He frowned, looking back down at them. "They're wet though."

   Prida blinked and opened her mouth. It was two seconds later when she finally said, "I put them outside yesterday to, er, air off coz they stank, but it chucked it down with rain."

   "Korey has three coats?"

   Man what was this, interrogation? "Well, one's Mai's. Jeeze, some people can have more than one coat, To – er – Jo."

   He looked at her and pressed his lips together in a thoughtful way. He turned from her and glanced in the kitchen. He started telling her what she had missed in school and what announcements had been made by the Principle while he walked into the room and up to Leo's plate. Prida followed close behind.

   "Is there something else?" She asked impatiently. "It's just you seem to be inspecting my house."

   He looked up from the plates. "Why are there four plates of food?"

   She was getting mad at all these questions, but her heart fluttered with nervousness. "It's, er, breakfast."

   "Four plates for you?"

   Prida opened her mouth again but she didn't say anything straight away. "No, Roxanne and some others are, er, coming over, I made them breakfast."

   Tooks frowned, and glanced at the clock in the kitchen which read 6:50. He looked at the plate next to Leo's. "But they're bites taken from three of them." He didn't seem to be accusing her or suspicious, he just seemed to want to know why, like he thought she was going slightly funny with this cold.

   Prida was lost for an answer for this. But she managed to say, "I – er, I'm not the best cook, heh," she acted slightly embarrassed, "so I tried them before I'll give them to Rox and co."

   It was odd, but Tooks shrugged and smiled. "Well, how about we make up for the time we didn't see each other at school, huh? Wanna spend the day with me tomorrow? C'mon Pri, I'll take you to the cinema, I'll pay." He grinned, and as handsome as he was, Prida just didn't like that grin of his, whether or not it was just for her. She just wished he'd leave her alone.

   "No, sorry Tooks – er, Jo, but I have things to do since Mai's away," she thought up with a stern tone. She thought she saw movement behind Tooks in the living room, but it must have been her eyes.

   She managed to pull Tooks to the front door, and as he was speaking she rudely said, "bye" and slammed the door on his face. After a few seconds she sighed and moved back into the kitchen, and a second later Leo and Donny walked in, followed by Mikey.

   "Jo Tooks?" Mikey asked, eye ridges high.

   Prida gave a one-shoulder shrug and a half, grim smile. "He won't be here for long, he's only across the road because his own room is being redecorated or something."

   "He just visits like that?" Leo asked, taking his seat again next to Donny.

   Prida nodded. "He's so annoying . . . I can 't believe I completely forgot about school," she thought about that for a second. "Actually I can."

   "Stank?" Donny repeated the description she used for their coats. Leo and Mikey looked from him to Prida.

   "Hey, he was asking all these questions, I had to come up with something quickly, and you live in a _sewer_, they're bound to stink."

   They all laughed and joked about the good times they had at school showing up Tooks, and they finished their breakfast not long later. They were all happy that it was almost like the days four months ago when they were laughing at something.

   "We're gonna have to show you to April again," Mikey said as he took Leo's plate his brother was handing him and put them in the sink. Donny had finished a minute before they had, and Prida was still eating.

   She smiled. "Yeah, and I'm gonna tell her to get an answering machine. I must have phoned her number more times than the hours she spent at work . . . okay exaggeration," she smiled.

   They laughed, and then Leo brought up Master Splinter.

   "I think he'll understand the reason we've been gone all night," Donny said. "But we'll have to take Prida down to see him, I'll expect he'd wanna meet you again," he said to Prida.

   She smiled, remembering the big, talking rat they called Master and father. It was really odd that four turtles had a rat as a father, and not a turtle, nor did they even have a mother. It sounded strange from another's point of view, but the four brothers were used to it. Prida couldn't imagine what it must have been like for fifteen years having NO friends except your brothers to talk to. But she realized that must make them the closest brothers she had ever met, because they knew the others would always be there for them, as they most probably had in the past. They were their own best friends, so it must have been amazingly new to have gone to high school and make new friends. She bet they hadn't expected to have her as a friend. But to have a difference species as a father must have confused them at some point in their very young lives; and now they could see it no other way.

   "Should we leave Raph here and go now?" Mikey asked, eager to get moving and show Splinter their friend alive.

   "What? Leave him a note?" Donny frowned. "You think he'd obey if we said 'Gone home to show Prida to Splinter, stay in bed, do not move, and do not follow'?"

   Leo snorted as Mikey smiled meekly and shrugged.

   "I don't wanna leave him alone here anyway," Prida said. "Not with Tooks calling around every hour. I don't trust him."

   "Who does?" Leo said rather coldly, staring into oblivion some point near the cooker. He brightened up. "Anyway, Tooks would get a scare if he saw anything."

   They all chuckled, and Mikey asked, "What day is it?"

   "Saturday," Donny and Prida said.

   "What time is it?"

   "Half seven," Leo and Donny said, and everyone grinned.

   Mikey smiled but said, "April's should be in, we can take Prida over there, its not far."

   Everyone thought about this, and Leo was the one to utter an "Hmm" noise and say, "I dunno . . ."

   But Mikey rolled his eyes. "Oh c'mon, Leo! Raph'll be fine – April doesn't even know Prida's alive! And Prida has had to stay in this house four days looking after that slob downstairs, I'm sure she'll wanna get out of the house."

   Leo's shoulders dropped and he stared at the ceiling. "Fiiiine," he said with a shadow of a smile on his face.

   "Well, I don't expect Raph to be asleep for much longer, so we should leave him a note," Donny said, getting up from his chair and stretching his arms.

   "You were against the note," Mikey argued with a smile.

   "Well, you'd rather have him grumble at us when we got back for not telling him where we disappeared to?" Donny asked with a cheeky smile. Mikey grumbled in an imitation of their brother for his own use, and everyone laughed. Leo and Mike pulled on their damp coats while Donny went down to the basement and left a note on the bedside table. Prida lent them all baseball caps she managed to find and scarves even though the temperature outside was not that cool, then she just ran upstairs to change out of the clothes she had been wearing since yesterday into normal blue jeans and a plain white and light blue shirt, then she pulled a jacket on over it, stuffed her hands in the pocket and waited for the other three to finish checking their scarves in the mirror in the living room. When they had all covered themselves up, they left out of the front door, and Prida locked it behind her, a wide grin on her face at the thought of meeting, again, someone who she was thought was an aunt to her friends, who thought she was dead. And finally, she was getting out and about with the three brothers as she once had, yet the fact that they were not human did not put them off the slightest, and it made her grin.

~

Done on holiday, lol, that's why there have been no updations, but hey, I'm back, and I'm brown – lol, okay ignore that. I replaced the last chapter, 10, and cut out a few bits so it wasn't so disgusting. Hope you like, there's some annoying news coming up in the next chapter, hopefully it will be done soon. Thanks for your reviews, Turtle Power.****


	12. Bad News

Undiscovered Power

Neosun: No worries, I haven't forgot Leo's BDay

~

   April reacted slightly different to Prida than the guys, but she was first given a quick explanation, and told NOT to freak before they parted aside to show their friend, who was looking as though she was getting ready to wince when April either screamed or shouted "Oh My God!" But she did neither.

   "Prida?" She said incredulously instead. "This is – this is amazing!"

   The guys stepped aside as Prida suddenly found the news reporter had gripped her arms and pulled her into a hug. Man she had been involved in a lot of hugs lately.

   Mikey looked around, seeing someone poking their head up the staircase down the hallway to see what was going on. The turtle put a hand on his brothers' shells and pushed them inside saying, "I think we should take this touching scene inside."

   "Wow," April just said as she grinned and Mikey shut the door behind him. "It's really – I can't believe –"

   Prida grinned as the reporter seemed to be trying to catch flies with her mouth open like that, trying to say something that wouldn't seem too odd.

   Leo, Donny and Mikey all took off their coats, but left their hats and scarves on, and they made themselves comfortable on the couch while April continued to smile at Prida.

   "No wonder I couldn't find your funeral date," April said in a sort of hushed voice as she took Prida's jacket from her and hung it up next to the turtles'.

   "Well I was going to contact you sometime to say hi and everything," Prida said, "but I thought _they_ had died so I thought it would be too painful for you to have me reminding you of them."

   "Hey, Pri, don't you have something to say to April?" Mikey asked with a grin.

   April turned from Mike with a curious frown on her features to Prida, who smiled and looked down, then she looked back up.

   "You're gonna have to get an answering machine," she said with a smile.

   "And that's not because she wanted to keep in contact with you," Donny said with a nod at April, leaning back on the couch.

   April frowned; her smile did not fade.

   Leo lifted his head and explained. "We found Raph."

   At this April's smile faded, and she looked concerned, wanting to know if he was all right.

   "He's okay," Leo said when he saw her face. "He's fine now, Prida found him, that's why she was phoning everyday in the past week."

   April made a very apologetic face, and ashamed she didn't think of a machine while she was actually out looking for the missing turtle.

   Prida started to explain once again to April how she ran into Raph and how her week went while she was panicking, up to when she got the phone number right, and then Leo took over, telling their once pretend 'aunt' how he rushed Donny and Mikey to Prida's, how Donny saw to Raph, and how they were going to take Prida to see Splinter down in the sewers, so at least she would have some idea where their lair was.

   They were at April for an hour and a half, and Donny only suggested moving because he thought Raph would be awake by now.

   "Oh, before you guys take off again," April said, handing Donny his coat. "I have some news . . . some bad news."

   They ceased their movements and looked up at her, waiting for her to continue now she had their attention.

   "Well," she continued, "good news for antique shop owners is that the police have caught the five crooks. Thanks for the address, I told them it was an anonymous tip – but as they were brought in they were yelling about how the city might come to destruction because something they had was stolen from them by a person they described exactly like –"

   "The Shredder," Leo finished, staring at her.

   April nodded seriously. "Yes, but they didn't say what this thing was what was stolen –"

   "We know what it is," Donny interrupted this time, in the same grave tone. He looked at April. "It was the artifact from the museum."

   "But you guys have that," April said, half pointing at them with a confused frown on her face.

   Leo shook his head. "We did have it, those crooks managed to steal it back last night when we were topside."

   "And you say this artifact is powerful?" April asked, and all three turtles nodded while Prida stood blank-faced. "That's not good . . ."

   Leo turned to Donny. "I've only had time to think about it – but about the artifact – you said the Internet source told us that there was a certain feature on it that is identical to the person it's for . . . well, we dismissed the first guess of who it could be."

   All three brothers looked at Prida, and April, frowning even more, looked at her as well.

   "What?" Prida asked, looking at each face. "What was all that about an artifact and those crooks?"

   April's eyes strayed back to the guys. "What was this feature thing?"

   But Donny turned to Prida. "A week ago an artifact was stolen from the museum," he began to explain. "These crooks stole it, and Raph and Casey happened to be there when they did. So later on they went out looking for the criminals again and found their hideout with Leo, and they managed to steal it from them. I got onto the Internet and started searching for anything that could tell us why the crooks wanted it. I managed to find out it had actual powers, but no one could use them, or unlock them except for the person it was made for. It was made in a different galaxy, on a planet called Yailea, or so the Internet site said, and it was made from metal and a crystal; a purple crystal . . . Now, the crystal is called the Eye, and on two sides of it in the metal triangular base are two symbols," at this Donny's eyes flickered down to Prida neck, but her shirt was covering any pendent she was wearing, "and not long ago I found out more information: That a certain part of this artifact looks exactly like the person it was made for . . ." he paused as if thinking someone was going to say what it was, but Leo and Mike remained silent and April and Prida had no clue. Donny proceeded: "Well, before I tell you anything else, can I ask where you got your necklace from? You wear it every day, it must be important to you, right?"

   Prida frowned. "Well, yeah I – I do wear it every day, because, I don't know why, but it feels weird not wearing it, and, well, I _feel_ as though I've vowed to wear it forever; but . . . I don't know where it came from, I've had it for as long as I can remember, I don't remember being given it, I don't remember buying it . . ." she shook her head blankly, showing she had no clue. "Why are you asking?"

   "Because the pendent on the chain is the same as the two symbols on the artifact," Mikey answered.

   Prida's mouth opened as she frowned more confusedly; she didn't look shocked though.

   "So this feature . . . ?" April spoke up as everyone stared at everyone else in silence for a few seconds.

   Donny cleared his throat. "Yeah, the feature thing. Well, part of the artifact is identical to the person it was created for, so –"

   "So someone is made out of metal?" Prida suggested in a light humor tone.

   "No –" Donny allowed a sniff of a laugh as his friend voiced out the same thought he had first come up with. " – the crystal, the crystal was the clue. It's called the Eye, right?" He allowed a single second to raise an eye ridge. "And its color is important . . . it's color is purple, so it hit me that whoever this artifact belongs to, has purple eyes . . ."

   Everyone looked at Prida again, who was still staring at Donny, head tilted at an angle. She blinked and looked casually at the floor, then crossed one arm over her stomach, the other bent, pressed on it, pointing at Donny as she spoke next, in an almost casual voice, with a slightly thicker tone.

   "So you think, this artifact, belongs to me?" She asked, tilting her head more and looking at her green friend in purple through the top of her eyes. Her face looked skeptical, but her voice was different.

   His own head tilted automatically downwards slightly and said slowly, "yeah."

   Prida crossed her other arm around her stomach as well, and pressed her bottom lip into her top in a thoughtful way, yet she didn't look too serious.

   "Aaaaand . . . why is it mine?" She asked finally.

   "We don't know," Donny said, arms out in a shrug. "That's what we gotta find out. But you're the key to unlocking the power to this thing, and when we get it back, we might get some answers."

   Prida stared at him and then nodded. "Oookay." She looked back down at the floor as if regarding it, and then asked, "but if it belongs to me, why do I only NOW know about it?"

   Don shrugged again. "Dunno that either, but it was sent down to this earth on YOUR birthday, at least, in the year of your birthday, and it was obviously found and kept by someone else before it could reach you . . ." and then he added in a very thoughtful voice to himself, "or maybe it was deliberately put in the museum . . ."

   As Donny drifted off into his world of thoughts, high-eyebrows Prida turned to the other three, who shifted their eyes from Donny.

   "And how are you gonna get this artifact back when you got no idea where the sssh-shredder? – where he is?" Prida asked.

   "Well, we can search," Leo said as Donny shook himself from his thoughts. "But I don't like that idea. I think we should wait for some clue to his location first before we go looking."

   Mikey rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Yeah, we should know where his location is when he blows the building up in his triumphant celebration and continues to do so with the rest of the city. Shouldn't be too hard to find him, just watch the fireworks coming our way." His face was left with a sly smile.

   Leo's eyes narrowed not unkindly at his brother. "You're beginning to sound like Raph."

   Mikey looked purposefully away as though he hadn't heard, and Prida chuckled.

   "Should we consult Master Splinter?" Donny spoke up, making them all look at him.

   "Yeah, we probably should," Leo agreed. "Let's go now."

   April grabbed her coat. "I'm coming too. I can be late for work." She said, pulling her arms through the sleeves and straightening the collar.

   "Okay," Leo nodded as he adjusted his scarf so his face couldn't be seen. Mikey just slung his over his shoulder and pulled up the neck so only his eyes were seen. Donny did the same, tilting his baseball cap. The group of five left April's apartment building a few seconds later, and made their way to the alleyway they always used to reach the sewers. Prida gagged slightly at the smell when she was lowered down the manhole, but she didn't say anything. These guys had to live in it!

   "How do you live in the dark?" Prida asked, turning as she walked ahead of Leo, Donny and April, behind Mikey, who was holding her hand, guiding her in the blackness she wasn't used to.

   "We don't," Leo said simply. "You'll see." He smiled.

   They reached a slightly lighter tunnel, where they had to bend as to avoid scraping their heads on the ceiling. Mikey stopped as did everyone else, let go of her hand and reached down, brushing a tatty newspaper out the way. He grabbed something and pulled what looked to Prida like a trapdoor. He then stepped down into the hole and begun to descend a ladder. Prida turned to the other turtles and April, who gave her an encouraging nod, motioning her to follow. Prida turned back to the hole and looked down. There was some light below, and she carefully stepped down onto the first rung of the ladder. She could see Mike below. Now, Prida had imagined her own picture of their home in the sewer, and she always pictured a couple of stacked boxes making a chair and a five sheets making up beds in a dark, damp sewer tunnel; but as she neared the bottom, she looked over her shoulder as she descended to see a perfectly lit, but not quite cobweb-free, subway station, including its own couch, armchairs, and other objects and furniture expected to find in a real house, with a tram with many cars, obviously bedding quarters. She was impressed.

   "Welcome you _our _home," Mikey smiled, waving a hand at the subway, and jogging down the steps leading to the lower platform.

   Prida walked further towards the steps as Leo jumped the last five rungs and offered a hand to April. Donny climbed down last, replacing the trapdoor. Mikey had now disappeared as Prida stepped off the last of the steps onto the lower level, looking up at the brilliant colored glass windows that didn't show anything but ceiling on the other side. There were hundreds of cobwebs stretching here and there high above, but they didn't bother her.

   "Here she is, Master Splinter," Mikey's voice brought her head back down, and she saw Mikey walking sideways as he told the walking rat behind him. The sight of that furry, man-walking creature still made her eyebrows raise high. It wasn't that he seemed scary, it was just, well, quite a lot of movie horror creatures had been furry, and how he moved in a sort of false slowness seemed as though some directors had intended the girl to get snatched as soon as she fell fool to the old act. But this was no movie, and this rat was no different to anyone, except in appearance . . . actually, when she thought about it, Splinter WAS different, because even though he seemed old, he gave off a feeling of great knowing and wisdom. Yes, he was different, because he cared about four turtles, completely different from him.

   Mikey removed his scarf and coat as Prida stared, but kept his cap on. He cheekily tossed his things to Leo to hang up, and his brother gave him a 'watch it, I'm not your slave' look.

   "We meet again, my child," Splinter said with a warm smile that reached his eyes.

   "Uh, y-yeah," Prida blinked, and kept on blinking. "Hi."

   "I am very relived to hear and see you are alive, and I thank you for looking after my sick son," the rat said in a tone that made the teen girl smile, for Splinter knew that Raph was alright now by the smiles and expressions on his three sons' faces.

   Smiling, Prida said, "I'm happy _he and the others_ are alive. At least I had company while I was in the house, well, sorta."

   Splinter increased his smile slightly, and then looked up to his sons for news he knew they had. Leo moved forward with Donny following, as April remained where she was watching, and Mikey skidded over to Prida and took her arm.

   "Hey, I'll give ya a tour of the place," he said happily. At last he could finally get to show her around. He didn't want to talk about the Shredder news when he had a second female friend down in the lair.

   As Mikey pulled Prida from one end of the Lair to the other, showing her everything and sounding like a tour guide, Leo and Donny told Splinter of the news, with April to confirm it true. After they had finished (with Mikey's non stop animated talking in the background), Leo asked Splinter if he thought they should wait and see IF the Shredder could use the powers of the artifact, or should they look for him and snatch it back (however hard it may be) before he can, if he could, use it.

   "You should search for him at once," Splinter said in a quieter tone than normal. "The Shredder will find out how to activate the powers of this artifact soon, he is clever. But . . ." Splinter locked eyes with his oldest son. "You must keep in mind that he will do anything to use this power as soon as possible, and he will _know_ when he sees your friend . . . you must act as though she is still dead."

   Leo nodded as Donny exchanged glances with April.

   "The artifact may act as a detector," Splinter warned, and he said no more, leaving his two sons and April frowning. His serious air disappeared as he turned to see Mikey dragging Prida to Donny's lab, letting her peek in before he dragged her off to see the other exit behind the ladder. "Michelangelo," he said loudly, and his son stopped. "I would like you to remain with Raphael until he is fit enough to return home." Mikey nodded as Splinter turned to Leo and Donny. "You, my sons, should look for anything that might tell you of the Shredder's whereabouts, and once you have determined a location, you are not to make any move without Michelangelo, and if possible by then, Raphael. The Shredder will be strong, if not stronger than before, and you need all of your wits to attain the artifact and escape."

   Leo and Donny bowed respectfully, and turned in time to catch their flying scarves and coats that Mikey had just thrown at them, knowing they too were going topside. He and Prida started climbing the ladder as Leo, Don and April made their way to it, zipping their coats up. Splinter watched his sons leave, and remained stood where he was for a few minutes after, thinking.

   "So?" Mikey demanded details as they were walking in a fast pace towards their exit of the sewers. Prida and April were jogging to catch up with the fast pace of the turtles, who didn't even realize they were much faster.

   "Your staying with Raph, we're searching for the Shredder," Leo said.

   "Cool," Mikey said without a smile, but his tone smiled for him.

   "Oh man I'm late for work," April muttered, jogging alongside Prida.

   Once back on pavement, April reluctantly dashed off to work, and Mikey and Prida disappeared in the direction of Prida's house. Leo and Donny watched them leave, before they decided how they were going to look for the Shredder. April had told them that there had been no reports of anything that might lead them to Shredder, so it was the good old traditional way: Searching street to street.

   "Well I hope he's feeling triumphant enough to celebrate," Donny said as they started walking. "We might hear him then."

   Leo smiled at his brother's humor, and they decided to start off by the docks, in an area not many people are found in now.

~

Okay, I'm not sure how I'm gonna write the rest of this story now, I got the ending in mind, but not the bit between that and here, :s . So I'm just warning you that mistakes might happen … not that they haven't already *luks innocent * oh well, thx for ya reviews.


	13. Bad BAD News

Undiscovered Power

~

   The docks were silent when the two disguised turtles arrived, except for the gently slapping of the small waves on the wooden poles standing the pier upright. They had seen or heard absolutely nothing on arriving in this area, it was completely deserted, and everything was locked up, seeming as though nothing had been touched for a while. But it was damp around, as though it had been raining lightly, and it seemed darker this side of town.

   "Do we split up?" Donny asked quietly, hands stuffed in his pockets as they walked in-between a garage and a larger one, looking straight out onto a pier.

   "No," Leo said lowly, glancing around, hands also in his pockets. "We stay together, if we're anywhere near Shredder's hideout, he's gonna have some sort of warning system alerting him to intruders, and I don't think he'd send his clan out for a welcoming party."

   They stood silent for a few seconds, looking about the damp place, before Leo moved off to the left of the pier and started walking in that direction. Donny followed after a second of watching him, and the identical bulky figures with hands stuffed in their pockets started searching quietly every boathouse, ever garage, ever careful of the noise they make, and ears pricked for sounds of anything not made by them.

   After an hour of searching, senses almost bored with nothing to detect, they stopped and looked at each other.

   "It's been way to quiet, even for these docks," Donny said, glancing to his left, and then to his right.

   Leo had the smallest of frowns on his face. "Maybe the docks area is not where Shredder is located. It could just be coincidence that this area had become quiet for four months."

   "Or not," Donny said, reaching for his Bo Staff that was sticking out of his coat. Leo whirled around to see behind them a small group of black clad familiar foes. There weren't many, and this fact seemed to tug at Leo and Donny's awareness. Shouldn't there be more? They could knock these guys out three times over if they wanted. Where were the rest? One thought came to Leo's mind that maybe Shredder didn't think the 'intruders' caused much of a threat . . . but then, why would he send out a group of Foot members to deal with what he guessed were just human trespassers?

   "Hiya guys," Donny said with a smile on his face as he shifted into a better stance, weapon held towards them warningly. "Ready for lesson two?"

   As if in answer, the foolish Foot members rushed forward to get their butts kicked, and Leo and Donny eagerly met them halfway in the few meters distance they had created since appearing from the semi-darkness of the boathouse, minus the boat.

   "One – two!" Donny counted as he hit two soldiers in the face with either end of his Bo, and they fell down on their backs, kicking their feet up. Donny grinned and turned to the others, seeing Leo standing calmly on his spot, a comical look of boredom on his face as he lashed out with his fists at two Ninja's coming at him on his left and right. He glanced at Donny and raised his eye ridges at his brother and smiled with a look saying 'pathetic!' These guys should know when there were not enough of them to take down two of the turtles. In less than three minutes all seven of the Foot members were groaning and stirring on the cold concrete floor. 

   "Well, I guess the docks was a good place to look," Donny said, stepping on a Ninja to get to Leo.

   Leo gave a quick tilt of his head. "Yeah, now we just gotta get an address from our happy welcoming party here."

   "Wonder why ole Shred Head didn't send out more," Donny thought aloud.

   "He probably thought we were just a pair of humans," Leo convinced him.

   A man on the floor, whose facemask had been pulled off revealing short dark hair, sniggered from the floor.

   "Of course our Master knew it was you turtles," he half grinned. "He _knew_ you'd come looking." The sick tone of high respect of the Shredder was evident in the man's voice.

   Donny looked up from him to Leo with a frown. "Well why would he only send these few to us? What was the point? He'd know we'd mop the floor with these . . . guys . . ." He suddenly had a very bad feeling, one which was currently making Leo feel the same.

   "Distraction," Leo whispered, staring at the floor. He looked up at Donny, and they took off for the exit of the boathouse, with the man's cruel laugh fading. Once outside, Leo said, "To Prida's," as his brother opened his mouth to ask. Without another word, they both sped away from the piers, away from the docks, and carried on running until they had to slow to a fast walk, by which time their chests were heaving, and a stitch was throbbing in their sides. It had taken them too long to get from the docks to the familiar street they were coming up to, but they started to run again only a block away from Prida's house, and knocked someone over as they rounded the corner and quickly barged through the gate to the big house. They immediately saw that the door was open, and they rushed through the opening to find Mikey huffing and puffing on the floor on his hands and knees, a blood seeping wound on his right upper arm. He looked up as they ran in, and let his head flop back down when he recognized them.

   Donny moved to Mike's side as Leo stopped to glance at his brother in orange, and, seeing no serious damage, moved further into the house, searching the rooms, which were now in a mess.

   "She's not there," Mikey panted as though he had been running very far. There was a dribble of blood from his mouth, but he wiped it away. "They took her – there were way too many for me to fight off, they coulda killed me."

   Donny got up and quickly disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a medic kit. He started swabbing Mikey's arm, and bandaged it up.

   "How long was it since they left?" Leo asked, crouching down next to Mikey, who was now sat against the wall.

   Mikey shook his head. "Ten minutes, maybe less. You didn't see them then when you were coming here?"

   Leo shook his head. "We were distracted by a smaller group of Foot soldiers, and we only realized what they were playing at when it was too late."

   Donny taped his brother's bandage together and then relaxed his arms. "Where's Raph? Is he okay?"

   Mikey nodded, moving his arm and testing the work his brother had done. "They didn't even go in the basement, they just arrived, beat me up and took Prida. How did they know she was alive?"

   Leo shook his head this time. "No idea, probably the same way he knew WE were alive: Spies or something." He frowned angrily and looked at the floor and then back up. "And Raph didn't even wake up? Geez."

   "I'm awake now, your big mouth carries ya know."

   All three turned to the forth who was supporting himself on the wall in the hallway that lead to the basement. His hand was bleeding lightly from having torn the drip out, and Donny opened his mouth to say about that, but Raph spoke before him.

   "What the hell happened?" He asked as his eyes fell on Mikey's blood stained mouth and bandaged arm.

   "The Foot came," Leo informed him with a tone that said Raph should have known, not slept through it. "They took Prida."

   Raph stared with no change of expression. "What?"

   Leo sighed irritably. "The Foot just broke in and kidnapped Prida while me and Donny were checking the docks for any clue of Shredder's location. Now, we're going to rescue her."

   Raph stared unblinkingly. "Why the hell have they kidnapped her?"

   Leo felt his temper getting shorter. He stood up. "Because she's the key to unlocking this power of the artifact – and Shredder has the artifact!"

   "Hell, Leo, she should have been in the lair, why was she here of all places then?"

   "Looking after you," Leo said through gritted teeth. He looked down at Mikey. "Are you okay Mike?"

   Mikey nodded and stood up, followed by Donny. "Yeah, it was just the scratch on my arm, that's all. I can still fight."

   Leo nodded once, and then looked at Raph. "Raph, can you walk?"

   "How d'y' think I got up here?"

   Leo stared slightly coldly at his brother. "Good, you can go down to the lair and tell Master Splinter what's happened. Me, Donny and Mikey will –"

   "Hell no!" Raph interrupted. "I'm going with – "

  "No you're not, Raph," Leo said in a dangerous tone that made Mikey and Donny look at him. Leo couldn't help being angry with Raph; he didn't know why the sudden anger towards his brother. He felt it was partly Raph's fault Prida had been kidnapped, but Leo stopped himself at that and told him it wasn't his fault at all. Yet he was still angry. He knew in fact it was because he had allowed himself to be distracted, so he blamed himself for Prida's kidnap.

   Mikey stepped in. "Splin'ner said we could use all our strength," he said to Leo. "Raph can walk at least."

   "It's the collapsing part I'm thinking about," Leo said, still glaring at Raph, who was glaring back, wondering why the sudden change of Leo. "He could go down at a bad time, plus it's an extra person to protect and we can't afford that when we've got Prida."

   "You don't need to protect me," Raph said lowly, through his teeth. "Mike's right, you'll need m-"

   "It's better if you informed Master Splinter," Leo argued further, "and April or Casey – maybe they could help by bringing a van around for an easy escape. In case you've forgotten Raph, it's only been a few hours since you nearly died."

   Raph just glared, but he quickly glanced at the clock through the doorway to the living room on the VCR.

   "Splinter will want to see you anyway," Leo added, spotting something on the floor of the living room, and walking over to it. "I'll expect he's got some _tea_ that might _help_ you." He picked up the object on the floor and walked back to Mikey, handing him his other nunchuck.

   Raph growled, but Leo interrupted what he was going to say after.

   "C'mon then, Raph," Leo said, folding his arms. "Let's see you walk here. If you can make it without falling over I might let you come."

   Raph growled again. "I don't need your permission to save someone, Leo." His hands went automatically down to where his Sais would have been, but they weren't there, and he looked down for a second before realizing Prida must have taken them off him while he was in the basement. His anger was beginning to boil stronger than Leo's.

   Donny and Mikey exchanged glances. It wasn't like Leo to start the argument this way.

   "Look, while you're here arguing, Prida is being taken to the Shredder," Mikey cut in, an edge to his voice that made Leo and Raph take their eyes off each other and look at him. "Leo, I think Raph should come, we need all of us." He went over to stand by Raph's side, and crossed his arms, He himself was getting a little bit angry with Leo and Raph's bickering.

   "Mikey, there won't be an 'all of us' if Raph gets killed," Leo said bluntly. "Not just because of his reckless behavior."

   "Leo," Mikey said, looking his brother dead in the eye. "You KNOW Raph's not gonna sit this one out, so there's no point in arguing, we're wasting time."

   To see Mikey serious was rare, yet it also seemed to be the only thing to ease back Leo's new anger, and he realized what Mikey said was true. No way was Raph going to follow his order and 'sit it out'. So Leo's shoulders dropped and he tilted his head slightly, giving Mikey a look that said 'I hate to admit it, but you're right'.

   Leo glanced from Mikey to Raph, and said shortly without a change of expression or without moving, "Okay."

   But Donny insisted that before they left, Mikey should take a drink for the small blood loss of his wound to replace fluids, and while he did so, Donny checked Raph over, and winced at the results of his still high temperature.

   Before Donny could read it out, Leo, who didn't want to hear anything that would change his mind, turned his shell on them and moved towards the front door.

   "Let's go," he ordered, taking the trench coat on the coat rack off and throwing it at Raph, who caught it, gave his brother a glare, and pulled it on. His hat was also on the rack, and he put that on while his brothers still had their baseball caps. His vision was not the best, and he still felt like hell, in fact he almost considered giving up in the argument, but no way, he didn't give up. After finding his Sais, they shut the door to Prida's house and, glancing at the gray cloudy sky, started walking.

   "How is ShredHead gonna get this power thing?" Mikey asked as the walked in an uneven line down the deserted back streets. "I mean, if Prida has to open it by saying something, or by thinking, then he'd have to force her to."

   "I have no idea, Mikey," Donny said, pulling his trench coat collar straight. "I just hope he not putting her through any form of torture."

   Mikey shivered, and they all quickened their pace.

~

Okay, voici, the beginning of where I start making it up with no planning, eek, I just realized I don't even have an ending to the rescue. Damnit. Oh well, thank you for the reviews. I got college to go to now, so I'll be busy and I might not update as much, but no worries, I WILL update as much as I can.


	14. The Pain Of Power

Undiscovered Power

A/N: Don't hate me.

~

"Something tells me our element of surprise didn't go as expected," Mikey said, Nunchucks in hand as they formed a tight circle, shells inwards. They had arrived at the docks not long after they had taken off, and the minute they walked down a small gap between two boathouses they were surrounded by black-clad men.

   "The surprise strategy was discarded because we had no time to search the place looking for the base," Leo said in a serious tone, his eyes never leaving the humans that were watching him like he was watching them.

   Mikey nodded once. "Okay, that explains why you didn't bother to keep your farts down."

   Leo turned and glared at his brother, silencing his jokes with his expression. Mikey glanced at him and looked back at the enemy, a slight expression of apology on his face. Leo turned back to the Foot too. It seemed that half the clan was there.

   "Are you gonna take us to your Master?" He snapped. "Or are we gonna stare all day?" His icy tone made all three of his brothers glance at him. His attitude seemed to be bitterly bad.

   Their weapons were taken from them, and their hands were tied behind their shells, with a short length of thick, strong rope bonding each wrist because of the fact they could not actually meet each hand comfortably around their shells. It proved difficult to walk for Raph, as his free arms had acted as balance, and now he dozily bumped into Mikey as they were marched in twos. Leo, Donny and Mikey kept their eyes alerted, taking in surroundings what they passed, and what directions they went in. It was so silent, that apart from their footsteps they could hear the small waves against waves somewhere a few yards to their right. The Foot ninja passed in and out of the darkening shadows, appearing to spookily disappear for a second before walking back into the fading daylight. It reminded the teenagers that these were still men, capable of killing people, even if they were incompetent sometimes. It made them wonder how horrible it was for Prida to be in the sole company of killers, and one very dangerous ninja.

   After ten minutes of walking around, what felt like, the entire docks, the group were halted at the door of a long building, It was not very wide, but it stretched to the edge of the docks. One of the front ninjas stepped up to the battered, but solid-looking steel door and rapped on it five times with his knuckles. As the door was heaved opened slowly and only for three foot wide, the ninja who had knocked quickly rubbed his knuckles, and then stepped aside as the four turtles were pushed inside.

   They found themselves on a rickety wooden staircase attached to the wall, and leading down to the floor of the building, which was entirely made of one enormous room. The whole floor was solid dirt, and to the left and right sides of the building were car tiers, tractor tires, and junk piles providing something of an aspect, almost, to the bare room. Beyond the junk, were the wall should have continued to meet the floor, were a long, head-high alcoves into the wall on either side, and in these long rooms that ran form one end of the building to the other, were the rest of the Foot Clan, standing perfectly still in the darkness of the shadows. Their heads did not turn as the turtles reached the bottom of the stairs, but they could feel their hidden eyes upon them as they started to walk to the other side of the room, where they directed their eyes for the first time: Sat on a mezzanine a meter or so high, sat in a large, throne-looking chair that, had it been in its best condition would have been too good for him, was the Shredder. His outfit had been changed slightly, yet it still had the many-pronged plates attached to the shoulders, arms and chins. The silver of his armor flashed as he stood, reflecting the little light in the room from the long, joined windows at the very top of the room, high above them, encrusted with dust and dirt. The fading sun outside did not promise anymore light. The Shredder walked to the edge of the mezzanine and stopped, looking down to the turtles who were thrown to their knees three meters in front of Shredder. They glared up at him.

   "Greetings, turtles," His booming voice echoed through the chamber, complete with a tone that was neither happy nor mad to see them. They expected him to be furious. They watched as Shredder held up his left hand. It was clenched around something with two long points that poked from the top and bottom of his fist. "I have just been examining my new power, how convenient for you to drop by so I can _test_ it."

   "Just let our friend _go_!" Leo shouted impatiently, kneeled in front of his brothers. The men that had brought them here surrounded them.

   "Maybe you don't know the value of your friend as much as I do," Shredder began to speak, starting to pace as though this were a conversation he was holding with business people, and were trying to sort out a minor problem of no worry to them. "It seems she was not created for this world just to be used as a friend, and treated like one. As I've said before, friends are nothing. But she . . . she is much more than any normal person, she is the key to power unlike anyone has ever been able to know . . . or control. Someone like that does not have a purpose in life to be tossed around as a meaningless friend. Instead, she will be used for a _real_ purpose –"

   "Everyone has a purpose," Leo cut across him, "one that can be chosen, not forced. And to be used for your own greed, for _your_ purpose will mean she would be condemned to meaninglessness for as long as you hold that artifact."

   Shredder's eyes lingered upon Leo for a few moments after he had finished interrupting him. "Your friend has had no great purpose her entire life, and now, at last, she has one: To unlock the power to this relic."

   Mikey leaned close to Donny and muttered, "Geez, could we stop with the 'purposes' word?"

   Shredder did not hear him. "Her ability to use it will not go wasted now I have them both. For her to return to her pitiful human life would be an insult to the creation of a unique being. Why are we having this discussion, Leonardo? She is not going anywhere, as neither are you." 

   As quickly as he had finished speaking, he aimed his clenched fist with the artifact at Leo, and a rope-like beam of bright light shot down at the turtle, who's eyes automatically closed and his teeth gritted on their own accord as raw alien, light energy course through him. His bonds snapped, and the light demised.

   "Give him his weapons," Shredder commanded the ninja to the side of the turtles. "We will enjoy this." The Master sat back down in his chair as two katana were dropped with a clang near the turtle wearing blue.

   Leo stood up slowly as his brothers watched, eyes wide. They drew back cautiously as Leo turned to them, glowering with an expression Mikey would have called 'The Terminator face'. He slowly advanced on his brothers, arm muscles tense as though he was really going to hit them.

   "Leo . . . ?" Donny tried, using his feet to push him away while he was still sat down with his brothers. Their brother didn't respond, and they jumped to their feet as Leo brought his fist back. It connected with Donny's stomach and the bound turtle flew back, landing a few meters after a skid on his shell; winded.

   "Leo what're you –" Mikey began, but he managed to dodge Leo's oncoming fist, cutting his own words off. Mikey jumped back into Raph, who fell down and after a split seconds disorientation, clumsily tried to get back up. 

   The Shredder watched with interest as the leader of his enemies intended to kill his own brothers. His ninja had moved back to the safety of the junk piles where they could watch, cheer and jeer.

   Mikey ducked as Leo's other fist aimed for his head. His brother's face held no remorse that he was about to try and kill his own flesh and blood, but instead a set face showing no emotion.

   "Leo – stop –" Mikey tried, but he was not so fast with bound hands as Leo's foot landed on his stomach. Mikey went down with a painful groan next to Donny.

   Leo was suddenly rammed into by Raph, and fell onto his side.

   "Leo – get a hold of yourself – you can fight this," Raph said as Leo jumped back onto his feet and started taking dangerous steps towards his brother, forcing him back. "You're stronger th –" Leo's roundhouse kick sent his brother flying into the side of the mezzanine.

   With all three brothers currently stirring on the floor, Leo walked back to his swords, and picked them up. Shredder's eyes cruelly smiled as he found the highly enjoying torture of one brother fighting the others. Leo turned slowly, allowing his eyes to settle on Donny and Mikey before they narrowed ever so slightly and he started to stride towards them. They both backed up, gasping for breath.

   "Leo – Leo I know its you in there –" Donny said, struggling to his feet while continuing to back away from their brother, who had 'kill' written in his eyes. He really was mimicking the Terminator, and they found that scary. Their brother could kill easily. "Leo don't –"

   Donny's words caught in his throat as he jumped back to avoid a swipe of Leo's right katana. But he was not so quick: Leo's sword sliced through Donny's upper arm just before Mikey could save one brother form the other. The turtle in orange swung his leg under Leo's and brought his brother to the floor.

   Meanwhile Raph had crept around the left side of the mezzanine and attempted to get onto it. He succeeded, and had just climbed to his feet and taken two steps towards the side of Shredder's chair before the ninja Master shot out his closed fist again and aimed at the approaching turtle. The artifact glowed, as did Raph, who froze in his position.

   "I hate distractions when there's an interesting battle below," Shredder said lazily. Without a movement the glowing light that surrounded Raph turned blue and the turtle disappeared. The ninja's mouth twitched in a cruel smile, and he glanced down at the figure to the right of his chair. She had collapsed as soon as he had first used the artifact and its power, and that foolish turtle had not even seen her.  Shredder returned to the fight he had created.

   "Disarm him!" Donny was shouting at Mikey as they jumped this way, and dodged that. Leo appeared to have gone deaf, for he did not even indicate he had heard them speak.

   "And how do you suppose I do that?!" Mikey yelled, rolling and jumping back onto his feet as Leo turned to Donny.

   "Now?! While he's busy with me!" Donny leaped back, and then did a backwards roll to keep a good distance between him and those katana.

   Mikey ran up behind his oldest brother and struck with his foot at the butt of the handle to Leo's right katana. It shot up out of his hand and Mikey kicked his brother's shell, making him tumble to the floor, but smooth his fall with a roll. 

   As Leo went for Mikey, Donny managed to pick up the katana with his bound hands and slip the tip of the blade up between his shell and the ropes. He rubbed the rope up and down the sharp edge of the sword and allowed himself a quick "yes!" as the ropes snapped. Donny picked up the katana with his now free hands, which still wore a rope bracelet each.

   "Mikey!" Donny called, and Mikey glanced behind his brother, and seeing the sword in his hand, back-rolled away from Leo, turned and ran to Donny, who sliced though his bounds. Free from the rope, Mikey felt much more comfortable now he could use his hands. 

   As Leo came at them again, Mikey grabbed the katana. "You go find a way to get that artifact from Shredder, I'll keep Leo busy –" and he met Leo's katana in mid air with the one he now had.

   Donny backed away, now that he knew he Leo wasn't going to aiming at him until Mikey was down, he realized his arm was stinging like mad, and there were large blood droplets all over the floor. Donny grabbed his arm and continued to back up to the mezzanine wall, where he acted to be collapsing, before he actually did, right near the meter high wall where the Shredder couldn't see him. Hoping Tin face thought he was out, Donny crawled around the side of the mezzanine, hoping the stupid Foot members wouldn't see him crawl out of sight. Donny glanced back at Mikey, who was doing well with the katana, considering he didn't like to use it that much in practice. Hoping they'll be able to attend another practice with Splinter, Donny glanced over the top of the platform at the back of Shredder's chair. He silently climbed the dirt wall and crept, bent low, towards his enemy. It was then, when he was three meters away, that he saw Prida, unconscious on the floor right next to the right side of Shredder's chair. He couldn't help her right now; he needed to grab the artifact before Mikey got a mouthful of katana . . . and where was Raph? Donny looked back down at Leo and Mikey, but a red bandanna was not among them. _Ookaaaay_. It seemed to be just Donny and Mikey who were in their right mind at the minute, and Donny could do nothing to find Raph right now just as he could do nothing to help Prida, until he had gotten that artifact away from Shredder. Donny looked back at the throne chair in which Shredder was seated, and made a sudden dash for the chair.

   Shredder barely had time to glance at his sudden attacker before Donny lashed out with his foot at Shredder's clenched fist, and knock the artifact from his hand. Shredder gave a surprised growl as his power source went flying, and he turned, infuriated, to Donny, who had leaped back into a defensive stance.

   Down below, Leo, whose sword blade was pressed against Mikey's trying to force him back, blinked and his gritted teeth opened in confusion. He looked at the position he was in, and immediately stepped back, frowning. Mikey stepped back too, but he still held the sword.

   "Leo?" He tested, and his brother frowned at his strange tone.

   "Mikey, why was I attacking you?" Leo asked, nonplussed. His sword was held loosely in his hand, the tip touching the floor.

   "Shredder –" Mikey told him, and then realized that Donny must have taken it from him. He turned and looked at the platform, to see Donny backing away from the advancing Shredder.

   Suddenly, as Donny took another step back, Raph appeared from thin air right on top of him, and they both fell down.

   With them momentarily distracted, Shredder turned with a swirl of his cape and spotted the triangular artifact. He strode towards it, scooped it up, turned and aimed it at the two turtles. They froze, glowing, in their position where they were heading towards him as though the picture had just been paused. But another turtle attack from behind resulted in Shredder dropping the Eye again, and stumbling forward to the frozen turtles. He regained his balance and turned to Leo, who had picked up the artifact and glared at Shredder. Donny and Raph had unfrozen again, and were looking baffled behind the Ninja Master, who was watching Leo. But before the turtle in blue could use it against the Shredder, a noise to his left made he glance down to see Mikey battling against the now attacking Foot Clan, using Leo's katana.

   "Leo – don't use the artifact!" Donny called. "It drains Prida's energy!"

   The Shredder, in a fit of rage, turned and swung one his clawed arms at the two turtles behind him. Donny stumbled back just in time, but unfortunately Raph was not so quick, and the turtle took the full force of the arm. He was lifted off the ground and flew back, landing away from the mezzanine. Donny ducked Shredder's other arm and ran to the still figure of his friend. He quickly seized Prida and then jumped off the platform before Shredder could attack him. 

   The Shredder, instead, turned to Leo, who was still glaring at him, holding up his fist, which held the artifact.

   "You will not use that against me?" Shredder queried, taking a step towards the turtle. "Because your friend is bound to it, you would not save your own life by using it to attack me? Do you see, Leonardo? Do you now see how _friends_ can interfere do much? She is dead already, she was meant solely for the use of this power."

   A meter below them, and a few more in distance, Donny got to his feet with Prida in his arms, checked her weak pulse, and the rushed to Raph's side.

   "Raph? Raph!" Donny shouted. He needed Raph to look after Prida while he helped out Mikey, who, after a glance, he saw was outnumber unfairly.

   Raph groaned and tried to haul himself onto his feet, he managed it onto his knees. Leo was right, Raph shouldn't have come, but there was no point thinking about it now. Donny quickly deposited the limp Prida in Raph's arms, who almost buckled to the ground again.

   "Raph, get her outta here! I'm gonna help Mike!" And with that, Donny turned and entered the sea of Foot soldiers, fighting to his brother's side, who had just sliced someone's arm and taken a punch to the side, but he was still holding strong.

   Raph, who hated to leave his brothers in a fight, was reluctant to go, but even he knew when he was no use, and plus, he had to get – he looked at her – Prida to safety. What was wrong with her? Had Shredder tortured her? His blood boiled, but he stumbled to his feet and stuck to the shadows of the alcoves, making his way to the stairs that led out. There was one Foot soldier at the top, but he would be able to take him out. Before he had gotten far, he was stopped by a shout.

   "Raph! Catch!" Leo's voice yelled, and Raph's hand shot up to catch something triangular. He snatched the artifact from midair, letting go of Prida's legs so he could use his hand. She flopped limply across his supporting hand and groaned. Raph tightened his grip on the metal triangle, and picked her back up. He started to run as fast as he could to the stairs again.

   Leo looked back from his brother to The Shredder, whose eyes had just followed his power fly across the room. He growled furiously.

   "GET HIM!" Shredder commanded his fighting Foot members, pointing at the fleeing, half hidden shell.

   About six members detached themselves from the fight to follow Raph, but Donny saw.

   "Oh no –" Donny said, and leapt over a wall of soldiers to land behind the six " – you – " he spun his Bo at shin level and tripped them all up " – Don't!" Donny stood up straight, and turned in time to block a sword attack that was about to split his skull in two. He had retrieved his Bo Staff when it was left unguarded in the attempts to rush at Mikey all at once while Donny kicked the artifact from Shredder's hand. Mikey had his Nunchucks back, but he continued to use Leo's katana.

   "Shouldn't we split at this point?" Mikey managed to groan out as he used his strength to push back an attacker. He knew that they wouldn't be able to take on all of these opponents, not with one of their numbers unable to fight, and another busy with the big boss himself.

   There was a painful thud noise, and a second later Leo fell from above right in front of Mikey.

   "That's – a good idea," Leo grunted in pain, and got to his feet. All three turtles kicked or punched one last opponent and then leapt clear over the heads of one wave, spun and kicked the last wave, and started running away from the clan to the stairs. Raph had disappeared, and as they looked up they saw a black-dressed body laying on the top platform next to the door.

   The Shredder roared behind them. "GET THEM!"

   Mikey looked to his left as he was running at his brothers, with a smile on his face. " 'Get _Him_! Get _Them_!' " He mimicked. His brothers rolled their eyes quickly.

   The sounds of many feet running after them pounded on the dirt floor, but the turtles had long reached the door at the top of the stairs before the Foot reached the bottom. Mikey grabbed the door handle and threw the heavy door open, and then followed his brothers, pulling the steel door too. The three started running away from the docks as fast as they could. They were already tired, but they knew they couldn't stop.

   "Where would Raph head?" Mikey panted as they ran. The sky was now darkening fast, and there was a cold chill in the air.

   "To the Lair –" Leo said at once, _hoping he was right. " – if he makes it there."_

//

   Raph, meanwhile, was struggling to walk, let alone run. He finally collapsed some three minutes away from his brothers, and he had not seen a manhole yet. Prida appeared to be coming round slowly, and as the turtle collapsed onto his knees, he leant against a wall in a deserted short street, pulled his knees up and rested Prida against his lower stomach, arms still holding her. He was cold, and her body provided warmth, so he moved his knees closer, pressing her body further against his, shivering. He needed to get below ground; above he was vulnerable and exposed. He still had the artifact clenched in one hand.

   " . . Nugh . . ." Prida moaned. 

   Raph half wished she wouldn't wake up so she didn't see him hugging her for her warmth. He couldn't stay here, he had to find a manhole, but there was one problem: He didn't have the strength to get up. So he sat there shivering, trying to keep his eyes open, hoping his brothers would find him before the Foot did. Raph's eyes closed unwillingly, and he could feel himself slipping into darkness.

   Prida stirred and her eyes opened slowly. She felt like hell, weak, as though she had flu or something. She realized she was looking up at the dark cloudy sky, and wondered why she was staring at it. The last thing she remembered was looking back at the metal face of Shredder. Prida became aware of the rest of her, and her head turned slightly to her right. She was looking at a pair a green knees. _Wow, now that's real weird to wake up to_, she thought. She turned her head to her left and saw that she was in the arms of Raph, who appeared to be unconscious. She sat up, and Raph's arms that had been holding her dropped limply to his side. She slid off him.

   "Raph?" She tried to say, but her voice cracked and 'aph' was whispered. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Raph? Raph are you awake? Can y' hear me?" She was confused as to how _he_ had got there. Surely his brothers hadn't allowed him to come save her too?

   Yes, he was pulled from the comfort urges of sleep to the sounds of her voice. His eyes fluttered open and rested on her.

   "Find . . ." he breathed, taking slow breaths, " . . . find a manhole." His body shook with uncontrollable shivering, and Prida realized it was pretty nippy. She also realized that the turtle's checks were still red. Where were Leo, Mikey and Donny? Was Mikey alright? The last she saw of him was poor Mike being beaten by the ninja, and she was taken away. Oh God, she hoped he was alright. Prida sandwiched Raph's cold but clammy hand betweens hers and started rubbing them warm. She wondered where her jacket had gone. She could have used it right about now.

   "I can't leave you," she said, feeling her own strength returning quickly.

   "Y' 'ave to," he said. With his other hand he pushed something at her, and she looked at the glowing triangle in her hands. "Take this, and go."

   Prida was about to argue against that, but Raph cut into her.

   "Just go!" He growled at her. He did not feel the strength to be arguing. Prida was taken aback at the biting tone he used, but she got over it and lowered her own eyebrows.

   "No," she said stubbornly. She stuffed the artifact into her back jeans pocket, grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her neck. "Get up – on your feet NOW." She hauled him up with all her might, and they both managed to make it to a standing position. "Get moving, you need to generate heat," she ordered.

   As they took a few shaky steps together in the dark street, Raph muttered, "How the hell do you know?"

   "I didn't spend all that time pouring through books while you were dieing to learn nothing," Prida answered with a half smile.

   Prida lead him down the street, moving very slowly, but every time he wanted to just collapse and sleep, she snapped a "No" at him and continued to force him to walk on. His system started to work faster to keep up with his movements, and they were soon moving quicker. Prida kept her eyes open for a manhole, though she had doubts that either of them would be able to lift it. _Great, that's like going home and finding you can't get in because you've lost your key, Prida humored herself._

//

   "They've caught up with us!" Donny yelled as the first of the Foot soldiers jumped lightly from a dumpster and attacked him. Donny swung his Bo and hit the man on the small of his back. He went tumbling away as Donny and his brothers continued to back up.

   "If we stop to fight them the rest'll just caught up," Leo told them, walking backwards, keeping his blades held ready in case the twelve or so ninjas leapt and attacked. There was a good few yards distance in-between them.

   "So, let's scarper," Mikey said, and all three turned and ran to the end of the street. The ninjas behind gave chase, but the turtles were good at losing opponents at certain distances behind. In half a minute the Foot had lost sight of the turtles through the dark streets and alleys, and were forced to slow to a walk to keep noise down and search for the enemy as stealthy as possible.

   The turtles were crouched on a rooftop, overlooking the searching. They turned and ran away, leaping roof to roof for a few times before feeling safe enough to climb to street level. They jumped silently onto a fire escape on the side of a building, and into the narrow alleyway. Leo checked the left of the street while Mikey checked the right.

   "Hey," he whispered, waving his hand for his brothers to look in his direction. A wide, shadowed figure was heading their way on their side of the street. As it reached within two meters, the three brothers leapt onto the path, weapons poised.

   "Whoa!" A female voice uttered in surprised.

   "Prida?" Leo sheathed his katana and squinted at the figure. It was Raph AND Prida. "Raph? God, are you alright? What's wrong?"

   Prida ducked under Raph's arm as Leo supported his brother. "He's ill, _that's what's wrong," she told them in a stern voice. She turned to Mikey. "Mike! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay." She threw her arms around him._

   "Likewise," he smiled as she pulled away.

   "Prida are you alright?" Donny asked. "Shredder was using your energy to unlock the power to that artifact."

   "I'm okay, but _he's_ not," Prida motioned to Raph, who seemed to be sleeping on Leo's shoulder.

   "Yeah, I think that's obvious," Leo said. "Let's get below, the Foot are looking for you."

   "Wait –" she stopped them as they were about to take off. She reached behind and pulled the artifact from her back pocket. "Is this . . . powerful enough to destroy something as big as this city – or control anything within it?"

   The brothers stepped back to her, frowning at her questing when they needed to get below. Mikey and Leo blinked and glanced at Donny, whose eyes remained on Prida.

   "Yes," he said after a few seconds of considering where her question was going to lead. "I think, though, that if it were controlled to that extent the power used would probably render you into a permanently unconscious state."

   Prida nodded wordlessly, and looked at the triangle. "Then . . . to keep anything like that from ever happening . . . it needs to be destroyed."

   Donny glanced at his brothers as though Prida didn't realize what she had said. He looked back at her. "Prida, we don't know what effect that would have on you . . . it might kill you."

   "And besides," Mikey spoke up quickly, wanting to end this discussion. "We don't even know if it _can_ be destroyed."

   Prida locked her eyes on his. "_I can destroy it."_

   "Look, we c'n jus' hide it somewhere," Raph said, lifting his head. "You don't haff to destroy it. You're not dieing again."

   Prida's mouth grew to a small smile. "I didn't die the first time – but you know Shredder's not gonna stop looking for it," she watched their faces as they knew what she said was true. "And how the hell am I meant to go on with my life when his goons are out looking for me? I won't be able to walk about or even go to school –"

   "You can stay with us," Mikey interrupted, beginning his sentence with a swallow.

   "No I can't, that man is not dumb, he'll eventually know where I am and search the sewers, find your home and destroy it . . . and maybe even you." She felt angry that they didn't understand what had to be done here.

   "You're just jumping way over yourself here," Raph argued. "Will someone just grab her and let's GO?"

   Leo, Donny and Mike all turned their heads to look back at Prida. No one moved.

   Raph growled. "Grgh, look, just 'cause you might lose you social life, doesn't mean y' got t' go and kill yourself."

   "Look, will you just shut up and admit it!" She snapped at him. "Shredder _will_ eventually get his hands on _this_ –" she held the artifact up right in front of his face " – or me, and when he does, do you expect him to just let you go? He'd kill you straight away, and anyone else in his way, and then proceed to conquer the city."

   Donny fought back the urge to say "She's got a point."

   "Okay, this is nuts, Mikey, grab her and let's get the hell outta here," Raph said, his tone told them he was fed up with this conversation.

   Prida shifted her gaze to Mikey, and then took a step back. Her eyes locked on Leo's. He had not said anything for a while, and she knew he knew she was right. Raph seemed to follow her gaze and thinking, and looked at his brother who he was still leaning on.

   "Leo – you're not just gonna let her –" Raph said with a disbelieving smile on one corner of his mouth. Mikey and Donny turned and looked at their leader too.

   Leo said nothing; he didn't even look at anyone, but kept his eyes on Prida. What she said was true. It seemed paranoia was jumping ahead, but he knew she was right: In time Shredder would find either her or this artifact, no matter how small it was. He couldn't say anything, but he could tell by the eyes of his brothers on him that they knew he was letting her go ahead with this insane idea.

   Prida stepped back again, into the darker shadows. She held the artifact in both hands, and it began to glow, bathing her in purple light, growing slowly brighter.

   "No –" Raph made to reach her, but to his shock, Leo's arm was around his chest, and he stopped him. Mikey and Donny seemed hypnotized. The highlights of their eyes flickered purple as they watched Prida disappear in a ball of light. A last strand of her hair billowed before it too was consumed by the glow. Amidst the light, the crystal on the artifact could still be seen.

   Prida, who was still standing somewhere in the orb of light, was in agony as she continued to clamp her hands over the triangle so tight, blood started streaming in small droplets down to her wrist; but she never took her entire focus from her one big thought: Destroy the artifact. Her head had tilted back, her teeth had gritted in pain, her eyes were tightly shut, all muscles tensed, and then she saw it coming a second before it happened. The light suddenly blasted inwards, and the glowing aura around her rushed into the triangle metal, as though a doorway had been opened in space and the air rushed out – it exploded into hundreds of tiny pieces, showering the alleyway floor with the sounds of delicate broken crystal shards. The glowing started to fade, the girl fell lifelessly to the floor, and as the turtles lowered their protective arms, the last sounds of falling crystal ended; and the glowing light disappeared. Their wide eyes rested on the body of their friend.

~

I'm horrible, yes, but I'm not too happy with the way this chapter turned out (don't get me wrong – or right – I love killing people), but it might be replaced, I'll inform ya when and if it is. Ciao, thanks for the reviews. (Oh, btw, I realize I totally ruined RT with this sequel, so those hu don't like it can just forget this and imagine your own way Prida would meet back with the guys.)


	15. Survivers

Undiscovered Power

~

   The sky was now a beautiful clear dark blue, but there were few stars. The air was cold, and nothing moved.

   The turtles remained still like statues, as though waiting for Prida to get back up. All of them refused to believe that their friend was dead, again.

   A lone Foot soldier did not see them as he passed on the opposite side of the street behind them because they were so silent and still. The black-clothed ninja disappeared to search elsewhere for some noise that might lead him to his enemy.

   Then, movement came alive in their alleyway as Donny took a slow extensive step, and crouch down next to Prida's head. Her face was lined with strands of her hair, but Donny pressed his finger to his throat, and when feeling no life, looked up at Mikey who was stood two meters away to his left.

   "No pulse," he said quietly, and watched as his brother just stared. There were no tears, no emotional expression; Mikey just stared at the floor at Donny's feet. Don took his hand away and blinked.

   Raph, who was still clinging to Leo for support, murmured something, and they looked at him. He muttered it again, and again until it became clear.

   "It's you fault . . . it's you fault," he said in a quiet tone, which got louder until his teeth gritted painfully tight, and he suddenly wrenched his arm from around his brother's shoulder, and to Leo's shock, started to try and beat the lights out of him. "It's YOUR fault, Leo!" Raph shouted, using what little strength he had to punch his brother's torso. "You Let her – you didn't stop her! – You – !" 

   But Leo grabbed his brother's wrists and held them back, a hurt expression on his face. His brother was blaming _him_ for a death. 

   Raph was too weak to pull away or continue punching, and just gasped for breath, glaring at the small space of pavement between them. He didn't want to look at Leo.

   "IT'S YOUR FAULT!" He yelled into his brother's face after he lifted his head. The bottom lid of his eyes curved, showing the tormented pain, but as with the others there were no tears. His hard expression softened to something never before shown on Raph's face, and he suddenly looked lost and confused.

   Leo, who had not said anything, forcefully pulled his brother into a hug, and tightened his arms around his brother's carapace. Raph did the same, and Donny glanced down from them, and then looked at a still blank-faced Mikey.

   Mikey's eyes wandered down, but after hearing Donny cough they looked back at his brother. Wait . . . his brother hadn't coughed . . .

   Prida gasped sharply and then turned her head to look at the wide-eyed Donny. She smiled.

   "Am I dead?" She asked in a whisper, because she sure felt like it. She was aware her hair was a mess behind her, and couldn't held thinking how painful that was going to be to brush it. She would rather destroy another artifact than try and get the brush through that.

   "You – you were," Donny said in a slightly high-pitched voice. Raph let go of Leo with one arm and looked down at her. Leo and Mikey stared.

   Prida's smiled widened, which reflected onto Donny's. The turtle helped her to her feet, and held her loosely at bent-arms length, checking her over just to make sure the mysterious lack of metal shards didn't blow holes though her from the explosion. In fact, he glanced at the floor and noticed all the shards and broken pieces were no longer flecked about the dark pavement.

   "I guess I'm just . . ." Prida grinned at Donny pausing for the next words, " . . . really _lucky_."

   He uttered a breathed laugh. "I think you have people in _high_ places looking down on you." His eyes rose to the sky before they looked back down. He grinned.

   Prida glanced at Mikey and then at Leo and Raph. She smiled and stuck her tongue out in a very light joke at Raph, then wiggled her eyebrows. To all of their surprise, Raph let go of Leo and before she knew it, Prida was secured tightly in Raph's hug, feet an inch or two from the floor. Her grin softened.

   "Let's," Leo said warmly, glancing at everyone, "go home."

   "I totally second that notion," Mikey said, sounding tired.

()()()()

   Splinter was extremely relieved to see all four sons return home, descending the ladder at ten O'clock, with their friend. A hug was exchanged between father and one son, before he was taken into his room and put to bed, where he fell asleep instantly. They were all tired, but they remained awake to recount their rescue to Splinter, who made them cups of herbal tea. Prida had to stop herself staring at him.

   After they had all chipped in their own detail, silence enveloped them while they drank their tea, which made them all sleepier.

   "I am very glad that this night ended well: You are all here, you are alive, and I am happy," Splinter said, his whiskers moved with his smile. "I want you all to rest now, there will be no practice or work at all tomorrow, I would like you to take that time for yourselves."

   Prida, who had let her gaze wander to the walls and ceiling, looked back down when the Master stopped speaking. The turtles bowed their heads respectfully, and finished their drinks. Prida had gulped hers down long ago. Scorching or not, she was thirsty.

   Mikey's eyelids were drooping low, but he kept blinking furiously to keep them open. He saw his Sensei give him a side-ways look, one that told Mikey to go to bed; he did not have to stay awake any longer.

   "Michelangelo, go to bed, my son," Splinter said softly. It was a firm, but gentle order, given by a caring father.

   Mikey nodded groggily and stood up. "G – G'nigh', guys."

   "Good night, Mikey," Prida smiled.

   Leo and Donny smiled fondly as they watched their brother stumble, half asleep, into his and Raph's room. He didn't even shut the car door behind him, but they could hear the bedsprings groaning as the turtle collapsed into them. He hadn't even taken his belt or pads off; one job Leo would do for him tonight.

   Prida tried unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. The two remaining turtles and Splinter looked at her.

   "Prida, you can have my bunk," Leo said. "I'll kip on the couch."

   "Oh – I don't mind, I'll sleep on the couch," she said. She hated to throw Leo out of his own bed.

   "Too late, I've already got dibs onnit," he smiled, sitting back in the couch. The argument was extinguished before it began.

   Donny suddenly glanced at his left arm, where lie the wound inflicted by Leo's sword. The tissue around the crimson gnash was inflamed and sore. "Oh, great, infected." 

   Leo sat up and frowned. "Did I do that?"

   Donny looked at him. "No, Leo, Shredder did." And he walked into his lab to clean his wound. Most of his equipment and things were in Prida's basement, but he always had more than one medic kit. He realized with a "damn" that Raph's treatment was also not coming home for him tonight. It had been Donny to lay Raph in bed, and he noticed with a grimace that his brother's recovery had just been flattened by his flu flaring up again.

   Don cleaned his wound with stinging antiseptic cream, taped a gauze bandage over it, and fumbled though his cabinet for antibiotic pills that would kill the infection. His supply of these was small, as he had not needed them much in the past months, but he knew April was always happy to get the things they needed. Of course, the money was given to her; they didn't expect her to pay for their things, even if she did do quite a lot of times. The turtle replaced his things, and then walked back into the lair as Splinter was walking to his room.

   "Goodnight, Donatello," He bid his son. The rat disappeared into his own car after pulling his door closed.

   Leo, who was sat on the edge of the couch looking a little more alert than everyone else, turned to Prida after noting Donny's entrance.

   "That's mine and Donny's car," he said pointing to the one next to Mikey's, and one away from Splinter's.

   "You can have the bottom bunk if you don't want Leo's top," Donny suggested kindly.

   Prida got up from one of the two armchairs. "Oh, I don't mind top bunk," she said as she walked over to the open door and looked in. It was only a square room, and it had obviously been tidied up from having been a proper train car. She looked back at them with a smile.

   "Thanks guys," she said truly.

   "Hey, housing Raph for three or four days must have been hell, so we OWE you one," Leo smiled sleepily.

   She smiled back at the two. "G'night." She stared a second longer before she turned, closed the door half way, and climbed onto Leo's bunk.

   Donny walked to the end of the couch and picked up a folded blanket that had been left there since Leo, Raph and Casey returned home from the night they stole the artifact. He opened it up and lay the end on the chair arm Leo would have his feet near. Donny looked at his brothers: His face was masked with guilty pensiveness. Donny somehow knew what he was thinking.

   "It wasn't your fault, Leo," he spoke softly, and Leo shook his head and turned to his brother. "It wasn't."

   Leo sighed. "What if she hadn't woken back up, though?" He asked, not really wanting an answer. "It was my fault I let her try . . . I just keep thinking that she could have died . . . and I could have done something."

   "Leo, Raph was hysterical when he was accusing you," Donny assured his bro. "He would never have blamed something like that one you in his right mind. Leo, his fever is flaring back up again, there's no doubt it was talking; don't let it get to you."

   Leo knew he was right. He smiled at Donny. "Thanks, you're right." He swung his legs onto the couch and grabbed the front hem of the thickish sheet as Donny walked to the lighting switch on the wall near the TV. "'Night, Don," Leo said as he laid down on the seat cushions.

   Donny clicked the lights off and walked to his car door. "'Night Leo, see ya tomorrow." He closed his door behind him and crawled into his own bed. From the slow breathing of Prida she was already asleep under the covers. Don lay back his head and closed his eyes. The extreme comfort from the soft mattress and covers was caressing to his aching body, and he was glad that this time, after facing the Shredder again in four months, they got to see the next day with everyone alive.

()()()()

   "So Shredder's still alive, we're back to playing Hide And Seek, and now Prida's house isn't really safe," Mikey said over a small breakfast the next morning, sat on the couch with Leo, both holding a warm drink. Donny was in the kitchen making his own drink and buttering a stack of toast. He brought it and his mug through to the lair and set the plate of toast on the small table. Mikey grabbed a slice as soon as it was set down.

   "That's gonna cause difficulty," Donny said, seating himself in the spare armchair. Splinter, who had woken before everyone else as usual, was sat in his own chair. "Might be a bit hard to explain to her sister that she can't live up there, and will be living in the sewers with four ninja turtles and a ninja Master rat."

   Leo leant forward and picked up a slice of toast and paused, casting his eyes upwards, as the main lights flickered.

   "I guess a subway does that from time to time," Prida spoke, emerging from the car and looking up.

   "Well they shouldn't," Donny frowned. He didn't like faults in his work.

   Leo chewed his toast as Prida sat down on the couch next to him. He picked up the plate and offered it to her.

   "It's the average breakfast down here," he said.

   Prida took a slice slowly. Suddenly she felt like a stranger down here – well, she was – but even in the company of her friends. It felt like they had just taken her off the streets, and hadn't even explained their story, leaving her to wonder things. Probably the reason she felt like this was because it was still difficult to believe that these awesome guys actually had to live under the streets in secret, and now that she was down here, tasting a sample of their lifestyle, it seemed even more . . . different to what she had imagined. But she felt really special to be down here, sharing a morning with them in their own habitat.

   "Until I can get some more food and create a _proper_ breakfast," Mikey said, scoffing the last bit of his bread.

   Prida smiled at him as she took a bite, but her eyes wandered over to her left, at the rat in the chair. _Stop staring, Prida!_ She told herself. She quickly looked away and at the blank TV. A second later it switched on, and Prida glanced around for whoever had the remote. It was on top of the TV.

   "Electrical appliances," Leo sighed, and got up to turn it off. He sat back down again.

   They moved into discussion about last night, and Prida's current location problem.

   "They know where I live, would they try and kidnap me again?" She asked. She didn't know the Foot Clan that well, and she didn't know how they preferred to solve a problem such as trying to get the artifact back – which was a dead effort anyway, but like they knew that.

   "I don't think the Shredder would send his Foot clan back, because he'd think that you would leave that place," Leo answered. "But he _would_ keep an eye on your house, no doubt about that."

  Prida sighed. "Great," she said in an undertone. "I could have used that artifact to wipe my house address from their minds."

   Donny hesitated for a second before he said, "Why don't you just wish for it," he suggested.

   Prida gave him a sidelong look. "What good would that do?"

   "Why don't you call the police and inform 'em about your kidnapping," Mikey said. "Maybe they might keep an eye on your place, and force the Foot away."

   "She would be questioned no end about _why_ she was kidnapped, and who she was taken by, and how she escaped," Donny cut across. "They'd need proof and a good story to go with it, and a lot of it I don't think they would believe."

   "Man, I really wish Shredder had died the first time we killed him," Mikey said.

   They all fell into silence as thoughts invaded their minds, even Splinter's as his eye wandered down to the floor.

   "My sister's probably called or left a message," Prida broke the silence. "I'm not gonna be kept outta my house. There's no way I'm explaining it to Mai, either, but I wanna go back if I can."

   No one spoke for a second, and it was Splinter who did. "The Shredder may already know what you have done to the artifact, and his intentions will be, not to seek it, but to seek and kill the four of you, directly, including Miss Valantine."

   _Reassuring words,_ Prida thought, but then, glancing at the turtles, they seem to respect what Splinter had said, and Prida realized these guys didn't kneed a soft approach to seriousness, they wanted a straight forward one that would allow them to deal with it without messing around. Prida so admired these guys.

   Leo stood up. "Let's take Prida back topside so she can check any calls and stuff, and she can call the police and report a break-in."

   Don and Mike looked at Splinter, searching for approval. Splinter only lowered his head slightly, keeping his eyes on his sons. Leo went to get his and his brothers coat, leaving the others to wonder why he had suggested they go to Prida's when the Foot would most likely be around.

~

   Hey – guess what? Yeah, she DIDN'T die. ***points at you all*** how could you think I'd kill one of my own characters?! I admit it was fun to kill her, but it's even more fun surprising you =D , lol, how would she be able to hook up with Ra – no, evil Lenni thought, that will never happen, I was just kiddin' there. I thought I shud get this up quickly, and voici. Arigatou  for your reviews, Ciao.


	16. Rooftop Fight

Undiscovered Power

~

   The morning was dull and cool when the three turtles and Prida climbed out of the manhole into the alleyway. The sky was cloudy gray, and there seemed to be the thinnest of mist hanging in the air. Leo, Don and Mike were wrapped up in their trench coats and fedoras, and Prida was still wearing the same as yesterday: Torn jeans and shirt, and her hair was pretty wild, which, as always, was pulled back.

   Prida's house seemed untouched since yesterday. The place was still a mess, and the door was closed when they stepped up to it, but it was unlocked. They slowly pushed it open, listening for any movement in the house that might give away a hidden ambush. The turtles crept in first, checking every downstairs room, even the basement. When they were satisfied not one Foot member was lurking around, they gathered in the living room.

   "Get what you need for a week," Leo told Prida. "And then after that time we can figure out what happens." They were told Mai came back in a week, so things might have changed by then.

   Prida nodded, and turned to Donny. "Don, you could pack some food from the cupboard, I know you guys are short down there, and Mike, you can help me pack."

   Donny disappeared into the kitchen, and Mikey followed Prida upstairs. Leo turned and walked into the front room, looking out into the dull street. His eyes searched the small, dark gap between two buildings over the street, before his head turned and he spotted the quick flash of something black down the street.

   Exactly two minutes later everyone was back in the living room. Donny was holding a brown grocery bag, crumpled closed at the top, and Prida had a rucksack on her back with her things in. Mikey had told her she might be better off at April's, but they would have to ask her later. No matter how cool Prida found sharing a sewer with four turtles and a rat, she thought it might be easier with April. Donny tucked the bag under his arm as Mikey released the yoyo he was carrying and starting playing with it.

   "Phone call to the police made," Prida announced.

   "Mikey," Leo said, taking everyone's attention, "you can take Prida back to the lair while me and Donny clear up to few Foot members outside."

   Everyone's small smiles disappeared, and Mikey glanced at Don. "The Foot are outside Prida's house? But – there'll be tons, you'll need me."

   "Yeah I know, Mike, I just don't want Prida in the fight."

   Donny tilted his head towards Prida. "Leader like his orders followed."

   Mike nodded his head at Leo, and Prida grabbed Mikey's hand. "C'mon, the back door's pretty sheltered." She grabbed the yoyo and started for the back of the house, and Leo and Donny pulled out their weapons, and headed for the front door.

   The air seemed slightly cooler when they stepped out carefully onto the doorstep. They listened for a second before they walked boldly down the path to the gate, and stood on the sidewalk. From nowhere, in front of them, landed three black dressed Foot members, and behind them from the dark gap between the two buildings, emerged seven others.

   "Two against ten?" Donny smiled. "Five each – that hardly seems fair."

   Both turtles stopped smiling and turned their heads to their right. From the mist that had now turned thicker came fifteen more warriors. The turtles started backing away, seeing the corner they were about to be herded into. The Foot would force them back into the house, so Leo and Donny side-walked left. Since Prida's house was on the corner, they started to back around it.

   "Still, s'not even half of Shredder's clan," Donny said.

   To their left now in the narrower street, seven more ninjas dropped down with light thuds from the building.

   Donny opened his mouth to speak again, but Leo spoke before him. "Don't say anything else, Don." Leo looked back at their opponents now. There were now two against thirty-two. Leo glanced over his shoulder, considering the street they were about to battle it out in. "We need to get onto higher levels, we can't let anyone see us fighting in the street." And they needed to free themselves of the annoying coats.

   "I thought Shredder wanted to destroy us himself," Donny said quietly as they backed up and to the left, heading for the flattop roofs.

   "He does," Leo replied, watching the Foot advance as they backed away slowly. "He has his goons to tire us first, then he can take us out. I hope Mikey gets back soon, I have a feeling they'll be more."

   Then, together, they both turned and leapt onto a fire exit staircase, with the Foot taking after them quickly. The two turtles smoothly somersaulted from the last fair exit onto the roof, and backed up as the ninja behind them jumped in front of them.

//

   Mikey and Prida had met their own share of ninja just past her house down an alley. Prida stared in awe as Mikey's nunchucks were a blur of motion,. He was amazing – she had never actually stopped to watch any of them fight, but he was perfect, how he blocked every attack as though he knew it was coming before it did. Prida blinked.

   "Prida go – run to our alleyway –" Mikey said after he had pushed back one man who sent three others down. "Get below." He turned and knocked a kind of baton weapon from another hand.

   Prida stared. "I can't lift a manhole lid!"

   Mikey rolled his eyes as he kicked a soldier in the stomach. He didn't want to lead the Foot to their 'front door'.

   "Can't you just go back and hide in your house until I clear these up?" He tried. He wanted to get rid of these few, take Prida down to the lair, and go back to help his brothers, who, no doubt, had half the clan on their tails.

   Prida bunched her fist, and kicked the side of a Foot member who was running at Mikey; a move she had copied from when her throat was almost slit four months ago and the bros saved her.

   "No way!" She exclaimed, teeth gritted as her foot throbbed. She kicks one person, her foot kills, her friends kick countless, and they're still going. _Okay, remember Pri, these guys have been training all they're lives._

   Mikey spun and kicked the last guy in the face, and swiftly replaced his 'chucks in his belt as he stood straight. He offered his arm.

   "Shall we?" He grinned.

   This time Prida roller her eyes. _And they even kept their sense of humor in battle_. She took his arm and they quickly jogged away from the groaning Foot ninja. Five minutes later they ran into the alleyway they had come from, not so far from April's. Mikey heaved the manhole lid away from the hole, and watched her climb down. She opened her mouth to say something, but Mikey interrupted her.

   "Can't chat, gotta get back, see ya Pri!" And he quickly replaced the lid over her.

   "Mikey!" Prida yelled from the foot of the ladder. It was pitch black, and the only light was dim and seemed to be coming from way down the sewer tunnels.

   Above her, Mikey quickly leapt up and ran off, hoping Prida could find her way back to the lair. She had only been led _from_ the lair to that manhole, but they had used a different manhole to take her down there. _Sorry Prida, can't worry about you at the minute_, Mikey thought, and increased his speed.

//

   Leo and Donny were too busy trying to fend off the non-stop attacks of the Foot to se how the other was doing. They kicked, they spun, they punched and blocked but they weren't actually getting anywhere. The ones they downed were quickly replaced, and having it been fifteen to a turtle, Leo was right in saying there would be more, and now it was twenty to a turtle, and still increasing. The rooftop was all motion, no speaking, aside from the grunts and strained groans and growls, and occasional yells as someone went flying over the edge of the roof.

   The turtles had no space in their head to allow thinking or thoughts. Their trained senses were on strain, and their actions were almost automatic, as though a switch had been flicked on in their brains. The physical space between them and the Foot was so small, Leo and Don almost felt claustrophobic. It seemed the Shredder would get what he wanted: the turtles would be tired by the time he came to call, and they could do nothing to preserve their energy, they needed it right now to survive this lot. Leo felt trapped. Mikey would hopefully be on his way to them by now, but why did Raph have to have a fever? Damn him.

   There did seem to be a little bit of good news, Leo saw. The Foot whose asses he had already kicked went down faster the second time, and stayed down on the third, so a few of them were already laying unconscious on the floor.

   Donny ducked and side-rolled out of the way of the weapons that were being used against him. He straightened up in time to thrust his Bo out and block a sword attack, but as he quickly leapt to his feet he was double kicked in the stomach and flew a meter before he landed on his shell. As quick as he fell, the clan members were bearing down, and he heard a thud before he saw the sword wielder fly past him.

   "How's that for good timing?"

   Donny was pulled to his feet by Mikey. But he didn't even get chance to say thanks as more black-clothed men charged with fury in their unseen eyes.

   The battle was intense, weapons clashed every second, bodied hit the floor, or flew over the edge, and the fight continued. Leo and Donny were beginning to feel an ache in their muscles, which would lead to tiredness if they carried on for much longer, but they still had some time to go before they came to that. Exactly when was the Shredder planning on joining in? And then it hit Leo. The three of them would never be able to defeat that man, not after taking on these as well. They needed Raph if they were to do that. The Shredder had proved the first time they fought him that he was good, and that was with all four of them. Shredder was not planning on killing them today, he had sent his Foot to see if they were carrying the artifact, and having not seen it, Shredder will know they've destroyed it. His clan has probably been ordered to pound the turtles into pulp, and would kill them when he later sees them with Prida, that way he would have revenge on all of them in no time. He would know that they would hid the girl.

   _Okay, so how do we get outta this?_ Leo asked himself, taking a graze on the top of his head. Blood started dripping down his head. _Punishment for thinking in the middle of a battle._

   //

   Way below the fight, in the lightened space of the lair, paced Prida, and sat Splinter (and lay Raph). She had found her way back only one minute ago (having gone two different directions, finding them unfamiliar, and turned back), and had told Splinter that there were a few Foot soldiers waiting for them outside her house, and the turtles had gone to fight them.

   Splinter, figuring it was more than 'a few' Foot members, had sat in his armchair, and informed the human girl that he was going to meditate for a short while.

   As Prida paced, worrying and having fluttering butterflies in her stomach, she wondered why the hell he was 'meditating'. Prida ignored the lights that seemed to be blinking furiously, as though a train was going over them. She felt weird down in the subway, sharing it with a four-foot rat. It might have been less uncomfortable if Raph was awake in there with them too. This meditating thing was weird to her. She always thought people who did that were the crazies who THOUGHT they could. Prida glanced at the rat. Well, he wasn't crazy, but his appearance was. Remembering what Mikey said to her, she wiped the thoughts from her head, and nodded to herself. Mike was right, she would get used to Splinter – er, Master Splinter – man, what should she call him? They called him Master Splinter, or Sensei – whatever the hell that meant – and he had once asked her to call him simply Splinter. What did April call him? _Okay, shut up, Prida. There are more important things to worry about at this minute. More important than, er, trying to be polite to a mutant rat._

   Prida turned to the built-in kitchen they had. She walked into it and up to the grocery bag that Donny had left on the counter. She started to rummage through it to see what he had packed, and half rolled her eyes when it wasn't much. Prida put her hand in and pulled out a medic kit box. _He doesn't pack food, he packs first aid kits … oh wait, that was a good idea, all his things are in my basement._ She pulled out the rest of the food and shoved them in the cupboards she thought they should go in. She hardly thought these guys were organized or fussy about what food goes where. Since they didn't have much there didn't seem to be a food rule. She walked back to where she was standing before, behind the couch, and looked at Splinter. He appeared to have frozen, she couldn't even see him breathing.

   Splinter, aware the girl was wondering if he had died, smiled, and could sense her face blank. He had been expanding his mind to someone who could help his sons, who, he found, were in a tight spot. He had known his oldest son intended to go to Prida's house so they could fight Shredder, but the ninja master was not intending to join the rooftop action. Splinter opened his eyes, straight at Prida, whose left eyebrow rose very slightly.

   "My sons will be fine," he spoke. "Another fighter will join them, I have mentally ask that he help them."

   Prida frowned politely. "Who?"

   Splinter smiled. "A friend who quite matches Raphael. You may stop worrying for their safety."

   Prida nodded. That smile of his seemed warm and kind, and somehow made her feel more comfortable. She relaxed slightly.

   "I could not help but feel your questionable thoughts to the sight of meditation," he said, and she nervously looked at the couch.

   "No – well, I, er, I've just never seen anyone do it properly – in fact, I've never seen anyone meditate," she apologized. 

   His smile softened. "A ninja can balance their mind through mediation, or reach out with their awareness. It is very relaxing, yet difficult for those whose minds are unsettled. With that said you can guess why Michelangelo and Raphael find it difficult to lapse into."

   Prida grinned and then chuckled. Splinter was light humored too.

//

   Leo let out a groan as a Foot member kicked his stomach, and sent the turtle stumbling back. They seemed to be doing well now Mikey had joined, but that kick through his defenses was a one-off.

   "Hey y' ugly muggers!" Came a yell from somewhere behind the waves of ninja. Everyone stopped momentarily to see who had joined them.

   There was a white blur and a couple of painful cracks, and three ninjas went flying unconscious. The hockey stick twirled smartly, and Casey set a cold stare at the black dressed figures.

   "Do you guys mind telling me what you're doing with my little green pals over there?" He said, and a second later his hockey stick was in three other Foot member's faces. Action returned and ninjas from each of the turtles' attacking gang broke off to fight Casey. All three were thoroughly relieved there were now four. And after ten minutes of non-stop fighting, the three turtles and Casey stopped and stared at the rooftop littered with the unconscious or disorientated Foot Clan. Leo, Don and Mikey were sweating to a point where it looked like the rain had fallen on them, and the scratch on Leo's head was stinging with sweat. It had left a bloodstain down his head, and to his bandanna, and they were all panting.

   "And Shredder is . . . no where to be found," Mikey said, frowning.

   "Shredder's not coming," Leo said, as though Mike should have known that. "He wants to kill all _five_ of us, so no Prida, no kill. He'll wait 'til we're off guard all together. Let's go home, I'm starving." He starting walking to the fire exit they had used to get onto the roof, stepping over or on Foot members.

   Donny and Mikey looked at each other and then at Casey, who had been wiping grim off his hockey stick, and motioned with his head to 'c'mon'. He turned and followed Leo. Don and Mikey summoned the rest of their energy and jogged after them. Don's wound on his arm was throbbing under the dirty gauze bandage.

   As they were descending the fire exit staircase, Donny called down to Casey. "Case, so, like, how did you happened to come across our little fight?"

   Casey half looked back and up at them. " I kinda got this funny feeling, and I swear Splin'ner's voice was in my head."

   "Ooh," Donny said. He and Mikey were the last off the stairs. "So, you don't know that Prida's alive, do you?"

   Casey turned around stared. "Say what?"

   The three turtles smiled, as Donny said, "Oh yeah, sorry, forgot to mention we found Prida was alive, and we also found she had run over Raph, explaining his absence."

   Casey's eyebrows rose. "Okay, that's good and good news." They started walking. "Keep talking."

   They disappeared into the now thick fog, telling Casey all that had happened since he had last been updated, heading towards the manhole.

   "I mean, she thought we were dead, we thought she was dead, she thought _you_ were dead," Mikey said to Casey as they lifted a different manhole lid a few minutes later, having decided to take this one. "They were pretty mean months."

   While Mikey was babbling behind, Leo and Donny lead the way into the sewers.

   "So Shredder was merely sending his Foot Clan to check if we still had the artifact?" Donny asked Leo, who nodded. "And I was hoping we'd defeat him today and wipe his miserable face and Clan from New York."

   "We will be doing soon," Leo promised.

~

Thanks for reviews, hey guess what, I was trying to draw human faces the other day, and I'm been scribbling over tons of paper, and I got a few pics of Prida. They're nothing gud, just side views, but they were just for fun, so if it's not wat u thought she luked like then forget em. 

This one was drawn on comp: write this in the browser don't copy and paste coz it's got gaps, w w w. geocities.com / Raphaella _ xx / PRIDA _ GLOW   . And if anyone's heard of or likes the Witchblade comics, then I kinda did my own little crossover with RT and tmnt characters in. w w w. geocities. com / Raphaella _ xx / Xtra _ fics  … (damn thing won't show if u post the entire proper link :@)

My site is in my bio but I'll post shortcuts here anyway. Ciao, thanks.


	17. The Time Will Arise

Undiscovered Power

~

   Some hours later, April joined them from her late lunch break to hear of what happened today, and what will happen very soon. In the few hours, though, Casey had been reintroduced to Prida again, and Leo told everyone that he figured the Shredder now knew for definite that they had destroyed the artifact. Leo seemed very intent on defeating the Shredder once and for all very soon, and explained that it wouldn't just be good for every living soul in New York, it also meant that Prida would be able to live in her house again.

  "So Prida can stay at your place, Ape?" Leo said, with his chin in his hand.

   April nodded. "Sure, I'm sure she'd rather stay at mine than with you guys."

   "Geez, we're not _that_ bad," Mikey defended them.

   There was a big BANG from the top of the stairs behind the ladder and the lights died, throwing them into semi darkness.

   "Sorry everyone," Donny's voice came from the ladder, who was determined to find out why the lights kept flickering.

   April smirked at Mikey and sat back in the armchair. "I rest my case."  Prida, who was leaning on the back of the couch, laughed.

   "Wha's wrong with the lights?" A voice came from behind everyone.

   "Raph!" April jumped out of her chair and ran up to the turtle in the dark. She locked him in a hug as everyone else turned around.

   When April pulled away grinning, Raph frowned at her and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

   She frowned too. "I haven't seen you for days – you were seriously ill."

   There was a pause, and then he said, "Was I?"

   "Yeah – you almost died." April replied as everyone raised an eyebrow or eye ridge.

   "Did I?"

   April glanced back at everyone before she said, "Don't you remember? Prida ran you over –"

   "Ohh, yeah," Raph shook his head. "Er, yeah, so, where are we?" He scratched his head, frowning at the darkness.

   April stared. "Raph why don't you go back to bed?" _You're clearly confused._

   Raph blinked. "Er, okay," and he turned back and walked into his room, where he dropped onto Mikey's bed. A second later he fell asleep, and April closed the door and turned around at everyone else, who were still staring.

   "So, it's sorted, Prida's going to stay at April's," Leo said as everyone returned to normal as though there had been no interruption, "and we'll see if the police actually caught any of the Foot from the description and location Prida gave them –"

   "Er, excuse me," April cut in, walking back to Leo, who was sat on the couch. "I dunno about you but your brother was acting absentminded."

   "It's his fever, April," Donny spoke up. "He'll be fine in a few days." The lights switched back on.

   "Days?" April repeated, but they had gone back to their plans, and she rolled her eyes and glanced at Prida, who shrugged. Splinter, who was sat in his armchair, shook his head slightly with a small smile. 

   "Okay, good, that's settled – then what – are we doing – about Shredder?" Donny asked, drawing out his question, while staring at Leo.

   His brother in blue glanced at him before lowering his eyes casually to the floor. "I really don't know yet. We haven't got the strength to defeat him – and I know, before you jump in Case, that you could replace Raph's loss in numbers, but this is about a fight for _our_ honor, and Shredder's vengeance is solely on us four." He brought up a hand and had just started to run it through imaginary hair when realized he hadn't got any, and frowned at his hand before he leant it across his lap and laced his fingers together. He sighed, and without another word he stood up, and walked towards the dojo, lost in thought. Everyone watched him disappear, and then turned and exchanged glances.

   "I think Leo's feeling real pressured because he feels we can destroy the Shredder," Donny said softly, "yet he can't propose anything like that because there's only three of us – and it's really frustrating him that we can't so it sooner." Donny seemed concerned for his brother, maybe more because only he and Splinter could understand what Leo wanted to do but couldn't.

   Prida, who was glancing open-mouthed between the two remaining turtles and the rat, suddenly felt too involved with the Shredder business than what she should be; but she felt lost. Whereas everyone else had been fighting against Shredder for almost a year, she only had a small idea. Her friends were suddenly more important than she had ever thought possible at school when they were human.

   Splinter leant forward in his chair slightly. "You cannot do anything, now. Leonardo must be patient, as must you all. The right time will come."

   Mikey and Donny looked up at their father, and bowed their heads, nodding. Their Sensei was correct, of course. Both turtles sighed and their eyes wandered to the floor.

   Donny stood up and announced he was going back to his faithful computer, and he disappeared into the room. A few seconds of silence followed his departure, and then Splinter told them he was going to walk around the tunnel network and think, and the Ninjitsu Master stood and slowly left the lair.

   "Will he be alright -?" Prida asked, half pointing in the direction Splinter had left. " – I mean what if Shredder's sent his people down to look for us?"

   Mikey glanced at the ladder, behind which was the exit Splinter had taken. "There's miles and miles of the sewer system. It's pretty unlikely that he'd manage to chose our area to search." The turtle smiled and looked back at Prida. "Besides, Master Splinter taught _us_; I'd be more worried for the Foot Clan getting hurt."

   Casey and April sniggered, and she sat down on the couch. "So, Prida, hasn't your school phoned to ask why you've been away for a week?"

   Prida's heart jolted slightly. "No, but they're not gonna get an answer now." She changed the subject. "What am I gonna do then? I mean, you guys don't know when you'll get to face the Shredder and destroy his clan, and I can't go back home until they're outta the way . . . well this is just annoying."

   Everyone chuckled, and Mikey said, "yeah, that's Shred Head, 'annoying' – but Prida, we might not face Shredder for weeks, or months . . . so if it comes to that, you're gonna have to tell your sister."

   Prida made a face and gripped the side of her head with both hands. "This is so confusing," she moaned.

   Mikey's smile disappeared and he frowned at the floor. "Sorry," he said quietly.

   Prida took her hands away and looked at him. "Mikey don't be," she said seriously. She knew he felt this was his and his brother's fault. But actually, she thanked them for bringing a bit of . . . unusual-ness into her life, even if it did make her brain ache.

   So, Prida accepted the fact that she was now either down there or at April's until she knew it was safe to go home. It was hard to accept, yet easy, because she knew she would be seeing her best friends everyday. April almost let a grin slip, because she realized she was would have to put up with another teenager for god knows how long. Thankfully this one was female, and didn't have to practice ninjitsu, and best of all, she was only one! No identical siblings. For Casey, well, he imaginarily rolled his eyes. Another teen to take up April's time . . . no time between him and April.

   April stirred in her seat and smiled. "So, Mikey, shouldn't you be worrying about other important matters, like a certain event in – how long is it – twelve days?" Casey frowned, and April turned and frowned in disbelief at his confusion.

   Mikey frowned at her also, and then his face lit up with a grin. "Yeah – man I forgot, again," he glanced at the dojo and looked at Prida, "it's Leo's birthday in twelve days. Me and Donny are throwing a surprise party, it's gonna be so cool!" It was amazing how he could sound very sorry, and then not even a minute later sound very excited. His grin was contagious, as Prida felt her own smile grow. How cool – she hadn't celebrated anyone's birthday apart from hers, Mai's and Korey's in a long time. She herself didn't like too much fuss on her birthdays. 

   "Cool," she said, grinning.

   Casey picked up April's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Why don't we leave you guys to figure whatever out," he said, "and we'll just make the most of the time we have of teenagers-free."

   They smiled as they left the lair, and Mikey got up and went to the kitchen.

   After he had brought back a bowl of popcorn (Prida noticed the bowl had the words Don-Don painted on the side), he had popped a movie into the VCR of their TV and while they watched and ate, Mikey brought out a notepad and pencil and they played Hangman. While their movie played, noHow cool one entered the lair, and Splinter did not return until after the movie, by which time Mikey had won fifteen games, and Prida had won only three. She wasn't too good at playing guessing games.

   Splinter walked calmly back into the lair, and observed the two teens, who he noticed had not moved from the room, nor were accompanied by anyone else. He seated himself in his old chair and watched his son and friend play games on paper for a few minutes, before he decided he wanted to set his mind in meditation, and disappeared into his room. 

   "Man for the first time I actually wanna go out and fight the Shredder," Mikey said suddenly, gazing at his drawing. "He's made our lives a living hell, and now he's brought you into it . . . I wish we could finish him once and for all," he added, rather un-Mikey like.

   Prida glanced up at him from her own stick figure of a dog she was doodling. They had forgotten their hangman game now that Mikey had beaten her passed ten anyway, and since Mikey started drawing while they talked, her hand automatically copied. Her drawing was a pathetic little attempt of a dog, while Mikey's was the beginning of some monster from a game, and he didn't seem to realize it was looking awesome. She glanced at his, then hers, and dropped the pencil on the paper.

   A car door was opened from the train behind them, and they turned to see Raph emerging from his room, droopy-eyed.

   "Hey," he said in a somewhat bored tone, making his way to the couch as though he was slightly blind. He used the couch arm to guide himself onto the cushions where he flopped down, slanting onto the arm. "Whoa, that was tough work," he said, referring to his walk from his room to the couch.

   Mikey picked up the blanket that was on the floor at the other end of the couch. "Hey, sweat your fever off," he said, throwing it on his brother.

   Raph groaned. "I don't need any more heat." He opened the blanket out over him anyway, rested his arm on the chair's and lent his head on it. "What're we doin' then? Where's Leo and Don? Wasn't April here earlier?"

   "April and Casey went home," Mikey explained to him, turning back to his sketch and shading it lightly. "We're not doing anything at the minute, Master Splinter said the time will come when we face the Shredder again. Anyway, we can't do anything about it. Leo was right when he said Shredder wants to face all four of us, and with you like this Leo's not planning on making it anytime soon."

  Raph only blinked at his brother and moved his eyes to Prida. "Are you staying here?"

   Prida shook her head. "No, April's." She started screwing up her piece of paper and then started fiddling with the pencil.

   Raph nodded and turned onto his head so he was looking up. "That might be safer," he mumbled.

   Mikey smiled and stood up. "I'm gonna order some pizza, I'm starved, want some Raph?"

   His brother groaned and closed his eyes, making a face, and Mikey grinned.

   "Okay, the rest of us'll have it then," he said, and walked over to the phone on the wall at the base of the steps. He picked up the received, dialed a number, and began ordering his pizza. When he finished he put the phone down and jogged into his and Raph's room. He came a out a few seconds later. "Okay, got the money, see you guys in a few –"

   "Mike, you don't have any money," Raph pointed out as Mikey reached the base of the ladder.

   "No, but you do," the brother replied, and with a grin he dashed up the ladder and disappeared.

   While Mikey was gone, the two remaining in the lair struck up a conversation. It had soon turned to life at Vinilla High School, and what had changed. Prida explained that it was only two weeks ago that Mr. Reily was almost fired for striking a student. Everyone was pretty shocked that day, but there was one group of kids that found it ever so slightly amusing that the kid Reily struck happened to have sandy colored hair and was wearing a plain blue shirt. Raph seemed disappointed that he hadn't been fired, and hearing about the rest of the 'gang' seemed to silence him for a few seconds. Mikey returned not long later, holding a pizza box with a greasy corner edge. 

   "Hey, dig in, I'm gonna see if Leo and Don want any," Mikey said as he opened the box and dropped it on the armchair next to Prida. He walked over to the dojo and disappeared inside.

   The smell of the pizza had invaded the room, and Prida's stomach gave a growl. However, Raph's stomach did not growl.

   "Damn you Mikey– " he groaned, leapt off the couch, and ran with a hand covering his mouth to the bathroom behind the ladder.

   Prida stared for a second, shrugged, and then picked up a slice of pizza and scoffed it down just as Mikey came back out of the dojo and went into Donny's room. Mikey came back from the lab just as someone stumbled down the ladder entrance. It was a ruffled looking Casey.

   "The Foot – Shredder – " he gasped, taking the steps two at a time. Donny and Leo emerged from their rooms. "They took April, said they would be in Central park waiting for you guys – and they expect you to bring Prida."

   All five starred at Casey.

   "Oh man," Mikey sighed with a roll his eyes.

~

I'm major sorry for the lateness, and even more so for the crappy chapter I did. I'm sorry but I think my story's going down hill from here. I wanna finish it quickly and start on something else. I'm gonna get some RT bloopers up! On my site, can't on here, but if anyone thinks that's a gud idea you can always send me some things that you thought might be a blooper from RT – in kinda a movie sense, the bloopers are gonna be kinda like outtakes, and have I got some funny ones =D. Plus, I'm also going back and editing RT, so I'll get rid of those French classes and replace em with Spanish etc, and I might add some extra little scenes … maybe … well, thanks for, er, being patient for this update heh, I'll try and finish this story as quick as I can. Thank you for the reviews.


	18. Victorious

Undiscovered Power

~

   "Ugh, I hate you, Mikey," Raph said as he reemerged from the door behind the ladder, and stopped short when he saw the Lair was empty. "Where is everyone?"

   Splinter appeared from the kitchen, and walked towards the dojo in a calm manner, yet there was something on his features that seemed less than calm.

   "They have returned to the surface," he spoke in a normal tone, before disappearing into the dojo.

   Guessing they had taken Prida to April's, Raph went back to the couch, grabbed the remote and watched TV in no worry.

//

   The other three turtles, Casey and Prida _were_ worrying. They were in Central park, making their way towards the middle with senses in overload. Not a leaf seemed to move on the trees that hung over them, and every footstep crunched over dead leaves and rustled the grass, making the sound seem five times louder.

   They all stopped suddenly by a shout, and as one cried "April!" and dashed towards the sound. From their current position, they ran right, around some high bushes, straight into the group of people they were there to meet.

   Mikey did not stop fast enough and he bumped into a chunky-looking foot member. The ninja lost his balance and tumbled into others, causing the rest to turn around and spot the group. Behind the few ninja was Shredder, and his hand was grasping the back of April's neck. She looked uncomfortable, as she had to bring her head back with Shredder's painful grip.

   "Alright Shredder," Donny called, switching his weight from foot to foot. He stopped and balled his fist. "What's this trade?"

   Shredder reached out with one muscular, spike hand and pointed at Prida. "_Her_ for _her_," he jerked April, who slipped out a short gasp.

   The good guys were confused. Mikey frowned at his two brothers, and Leo glanced at Prida who shook her head in confusion.

   Leo stepped a small pace forward. "Why?" He demanded. "She's just a harmless human to you –" he inclined his head and whispered," _sorry!_" He quickly looked at Shredder again. "This is pointless, was this just an excuse to bring us out in the open?" He was aware he, Mike and Don were in broad daylight, in an area many humans liked to walk. Exactly why Shredder chose here Leo didn't know; maybe he had been in a hurry.

   Donny moved a leg forwards. "You know we destroyed the artifact; or if you didn't, surprise, we did."

   "I know," Shredder replied darkly. "You seem confused, turtles. Did you not know what happened _after_ the artifact was destroyed?"

   Casey turned to the rest and opened his palms. "What the hell is he talking about?"

   The turtles side-glanced at him but focused their eyes on the enemy ahead.

   "It appears you don't," Shredder continued. "So we will make this trade, and I will send you a gift explaining what happened to the power of the Eye."

   It suddenly clicked in Donny's head, yet his brothers, Casey and Prida, including April even, were at sea.

   "Look, _you_ trashed _my_ house, I should be wanting to trade myself in for a good gun anyway," Prida said.

   "Walk towards me now!" Shredder shouted. "Or Miss O'Neil will find herself in a bag at the morgue, very shortly." April grimaced.

   Prida looked at her friends, who looked back with an unclear expression. She turned back and sighed through her teeth, before starting to walk towards the man she now hated more than homework.

   "Wait – " Leo said, and the girl stopped. Leo looked at Shredder. "Why? Why do you want her?"

   Shredder let out an evil chuckle. "If you really have no idea, I shall not waste my time explaining. I, of course, will be happy to send you a clue when I have reached full power over this city. Unfortunately, you'll be dead by the time you've finished putting them together."

   Mikey make an 'eh?' face, and frowned at Leo. Donny appeared to be holding something back by the way he was gritting his teeth.

   Prida turned and continued to walk forwards. At three steps from Shredder he lashed out and caught her with his arm around her neck. April was pushed forward, and she stumbled in her haste to reach her friends.

   Casey grabbed her arms and asked, "Are you okay?" She nodded and he pulled her to his side so they could both watch Shredder.

   Leo, Donny and Mikey turned from April to Shredder also. He was backing up towards a wall of bushes with Prida stumbling backwards in front of him.

   "Thank you for giving me the power to accomplish my mission to take over this miserable city," he said, and laughed.

   Mikey allowed a "Wha?" before the Foot soldiers suddenly attacked. There weren't many so it was clear they were just a distraction so Shredder could disappear. Donny left them to his brothers, and he went after Shredder. He jumped through the bushes, and weaved around a few trees before he found himself on a main footpath. He saw the tip of a cape disappear only a few yards away, but before he moved to run after it he heard a scream.

   "Agghh!" A middle aged woman cried, hands to her face.

   Donny realized he had no trench coat on. "Oh – er – where's that fancy-dress party?" He called, making sure she heard, and then he took off after the cape, leaving the woman with a foolish expression. As soon as he jumped over a few plant life walls, he saw the quickest blur of something and then a throbbing pain hit his chin and he was on his shell, trying to get to his feet as fast as he could.

   "Donny!" Prida's voice called out concernedly.

   "Freak – you will be killed before the others!" Shredder growled.

   Donny stood firmly on his feet with his Bo in his hands. He faked an attack to Shredder's head and instead tripped the villain up. With only one hand free Shredder did not block it and fell. Prida was pulled down too, but she managed to roll away when his grip loosened. She jumped to her feet and rushed to Don, standing behind him with her hand on his shell.

   Shredder growled and got to his feet. He slowly looked up and glared at the turtle. They both knew that was a lucky shot, and that just one turtle wouldn't beat Shredder and get away with it.

   "_You_ will be killed here and now," Shredder threatened. He stood still for a few nerve-killing seconds, and then lunged at the turtle, who used his bow to lean on and kicked the Shredder's chest. The man fell back, and then rolled over backwards onto his feet. His next attack was so fast Donny didn't realize it had happened until he felt a trickle of blood stream down his head. His shell was against a tree that had been behind him, and his head had hit the trunk so hard it was bleeding. It was an attack he could have got up and continued from, but Shredder was so quick he had no time to stand, and before he knew it Shredder was punching his gut several times with fire in his eyes.

   But he stopped and all Donny could see was flashing lights and Shredder dancing around. Donny squinted. Dancing? No, Prida had jumped onto Shredder's back and had wrapped her arms around his neck, and he was trying to throw her off. Donny's vision started to return rapidly, and he grabbed his Bo Staff. The turtle leapt to his feet, and as Shredder started to turn his back to him, Donny took a running leap and kicked the Shredder's back (avoiding Prida). The bad guy flew into the tree opposite and Prida let go and dashed back.

   They both had no time to say anything as suddenly Shredder whirled around, and something in his hand flew at them both. The two only had time to move together to safety's point to avoid the two throwing stars that missed Prida's back and skimmed Donny's shell. They moved back into their own space and glanced at the sharp stars buried in the trees behind them.

   "Whoa, what kinda pets are those?" Prida asked.

   Donny answered with his own "whoa!" as Shredder's fist aimed for his bleeding head.

   Shredder growled as the turtle ducked and tried to land his own attack. But Shred-head grabbed his foot and threw him against the wall of trees making up the clearing they were in. Don landed with a groan and sat dizzily on his hands and knees for a few seconds.

   Prida was suddenly picked up and slung over Shredder's shoulder. Donny whirled from her view as Shredder faced the turtle. He pulled something out of his pocket as Prida started bashing her fists on his back in a futile effort to get him to release her.

   Donny looked up as the glint an something shiny caught his eyes. Shredder had just pulled out a throwing star, and was staring down on the turtle. Prida stopped punching the man and looked over her butt at what was happening.

   "You fail," The Shredder glowered, and pulled his armed hand back.

   Donny breathed in deeply in a gasp, his eye on the throwing star. His heart was racing, he thought he could go against the Shredder and live to tell?

   Shredder brought his arm forward in a flash and released the shruiken – it aimed straight for the center of Donny's forehead –

   "NO!" Prida screamed, clamping her eyes shut. The movement of the body she was slung over was odd for his victorious moment. She opened her eyes and stared at her friend; she just stared.

   Donny, whose breathing was quick, opened his own eyes. There was no pain; there was no bright light. Shredder was staring at him, but through his mask his expression could not be read. Donny then crossed his eyes, and fixed his gaze on the razor sharp metal star hovering in front of his forehead in no less that a few centimeters.

   Shredder snarled and cursed in Japanese. He directed his bad language at Prida, turned, and started to storm out of the clearing while he could. Prida stared at Donny.

   The metal star suddenly allowed gravity to reclaim it, and Donny grabbed his Bo again and jumped to his feet.

   "Not so fast, coward," he spoke darkly, resuming an attack position.

   The insult of that title made the ninja master stop and turn around. Prida started to wriggle again so suddenly that he dropped her and she scooted back. Shredder didn't seem to care; his glowering face was upon Donny.

   Then, the ninja started to run at the turtle with incredible speed, and leapt into the air intending to crush this turtle's trachea before he hit the ground. They both fell towards the ground, and Shredder's hand found Donny's throat – but the turtle planted his feet in Shredder's abdomen and put force into his legs as he kicked the Shredder off and over him. The Shredder flew threw the air to the tree that a throwing star was embedded. Shredder landed painfully on this, and, with a groan, fell to the floor.

   Donny and Prida looked at the now red metal spikes that stuck out of the tree, and walked forward to inspect the Shredder. But they jumped back at a loud crack, and the battered tree that Shredder was thrown on collapsed in half at the star point, and crushed the ninja on the ground.

   "What a way to die," Donny shook his head. "Killed by a tree."

   Prida walked up to him and looked down also. "And his own weapon."

   They both stared a few seconds more before turning and trudging out of the clearing, only to be met, just before, by Leo, Mike, Casey and April.

   "Hey, it's ove – " Donny started.

   "Donny get out the way!" Leo cried, and drew his weapons. He and Mikey leapt forwards as someone behind Donny threw him aside. Donny landed with a thud and looked up with a gasp. The Shredder, acting like some wild animal on a rampage, was still alive.

   "No – we – he was killed by that tr – " Donny said in disbelief. He jumped to his feet as Mikey stumbled back near him, and joined them both. Don ducked a blow, and then performed a back flip to evade Shredder's fists which seemed to be for him specially. As soon as he straightened he had not time for breath as Shredder was upon him like a rabid dog. The turtle in purple managed to block his fists with his Bo, but a back kick from Shredder sent him down on his shell, and if it wasn't for his brothers drawing Shredder's attention then he wouldn't have been able to back-roll out of the way of Shredder's stomp, and his head would be in serious pain.

   "Whoa – ngh – what kinda steroids did this guy take, huh?" Mikey called as he was pushed back, hard, and landed against a tree trunk.

   "Agh!" Leo cried as he lost a grip on one of his Katana, as Shredder's wild arm battered it out of his grasp. He was then kicked in the plastron and stumbled back.

   Shredder grabbed Leo's free Katana and turned to Donny, who was aching from the last battle and was struggling to his feet. He held an arm defensively in front of him as Shredder raised the sword with a roar. Before he could bring it down there was a noise, and he froze in his position with the katana above his head. Donny looked down from the sword to see Leo, teeth gritted, gripping his other sword that was pushed through Shredder's stomach. Blood started to soak the area, and Shredder slowly lowered the sword, and dropped it. He staggered back as Leo pulled his sword free, and crumpled to the floor. His chest rose, and then fell, and then there were no more movements.

   Leo, who was breathing heavily, stared down at the body of the enemy they had been fighting for so long. And now, finally, he was dead. The ground around him was starting to turn red with his blood, not to mention the other droplets of crimson from wounds other than Shredder's.

   The silence was broken by Mikey. "You wanna make sure he's not faking it, ya know, he could –"

   "He's _dead_, Mikey," Leo said, turning to his brother.

   Mikey transferred his weight onto his other foot. "Yeah I knew that."

   Leo smiled and shook his head. He picked up his other katana and replaced them both. He'd wipe the blood from his sword later, right now he was beginning to feel the victorious feeling he had wanted to experience in a long time.

   "C'mon guys, I feel like a party," Leo said to the group.

   "Yeah you're gonna get one soon, too," Mikey mumbled with a small grin. He then changed his expression to look happy for this victory.

   Donny gave Prida a high three, and they grinned as April and Casey shared a hug.

   "This is a day I sure won't be forgetting," Donny smiled as Leo helped him up. He watched as his brother fondly caught Mikey around the neck and gave him a side-hug. He thought he could go alone against the Shredder and live to tell? He thought right. Donny grinned as he put his arm around Prida's shoulders and he limped out of the clearing with his brothers and his friends.

()()()()

   "Geez, where have you been, I didn't think it took this long to take stuff to April's and get back again," Raph started as soon as he saw them walk and limp in. "And what kinda scrap didn't Donny get in? Did you get anything to eat? I'm starving."

   Leo groaned as they all traipsed down the stairs. Splinter, who was now in his armchair watching the afternoon news looked up and smiled. Leo returned it while Raph looked between them frowning.

   Prida helped Donny onto the couch and then jogged into his lab after his first-aid kits he told her about. She returned with one and helped him clean up his head and any other wound.

   "April, my child, I am so pleased to see you are alright," Splinter smiled as April and Casey sat down next to Donny. 

   Raph, who was in his own chair, scratched his head. "I really didn't think Prida could be that bad, what is she worst than we were?"

   April laughed. "No Raph, no one could possibly be worse than you and your brothers. Thank you Master Splinter"

   Meanwhile Mikey was walking around on one spot singing, and pumping his fists in the air while he did so. Leo laughed at him and disappeared into the dojo. He walked back out a second later stripped of his belt and weapons, and dropped into a bow in front of Splinter. The old rat knew what his son wished to tell him, and they all seemed to know that, yet he was going to say it anyway.

   "Just what the hell is wrong with you?" Raph said slowly, seeing put-off by their reasonless happy attitudes.

   "Listen to Leo," Prida looked up from patching a wound on Donny's arm, smiling. "He has news you just _might_ wanna hear."

~


	19. Clean Up Crew

Undiscovered Power

~

   It was funny how the death of one person can bring content and ease to the hearts of the group right now having a party in the sewers. Of course, Shredder was no normal man, so his death was not one that people mourned, except perhaps his Clan, and even that was doubtful, they were not people with hearts. It took some getting through to Raph's head that they had defeated the Shredder. Perhaps his illness had left him with an after-effect of denial, because he seemed to think at first everyone was making it for, and that everyone's bruises were from a serious street brawl. After the time it took to convince him the Shredder was actually gone, he complained of a headache and told everyone to shut up. They did do for three seconds, and then they broke out in laughs and started talking. Splinter even encouraged his son to 'lighten' up, and that they had reason to celebrate.

   "We haven't had anything to really party about," Donny explained to Prida. "Shredder made sure our lives were far from happy."

   "I'm still having a little difficulty accepting this," Raph mumbled from the couch. He had his arms crossed, but his mood had lightened considerably. "I was kinda thinking of a spectacular defeat involving all _four_ of us." He was a little down though because their first major defeat, and over Shredder too, had not included him.

   Leo turned around from talking to Casey. "Look, that was a real shame, Raph, a _real_ shame you couldn't be there – but it's happened, and for the better good."

   Donny turned back to his conversation with Prida, and continued the one they had been having about her house.

   "But the Foot still know where I live," she pointed out.

   "A lot of them had been taken in by the police, and with no orders from Shredder I highly doubt they'll plan any kinda attack on you," Donny explained. "I'm pretty confident you can return to your house."

   Prida paused a moment before she nodded and looked down at her hands, and started fiddling with a bit of bandage material she had cut off Donny's dressing.

   "Well then I've got some cleaning to do before my sister gets back, which is in a week," she sighed.

   "Hey, I'll help," Donny volunteered kindly with a smile. "And since Raph's been no help to anyone he can too."

   Raph looked up. "What's that?"

   "You've got an appointment at Prida's house with the vacuum cleaner," his brother told him.

   "Damn," Raph looked back down.

   Mikey and April entered the room by descending the ladder, with a pizza box each. It was their dinner for the rest for the day, and an extra pizza was for the special occasion.

   "Hmmmm, steaming pizza, guys," Mikey announce as he opened the box, let it steam, and placed it on their small table. "Want some, Raph?"

   "Sure, pass some over," he answered, holding his hand out.

   "I guess _everything's_ getting better," Leo said with a smile, as Mikey handed Raph a slice of steaming, oozing cheese pizza.

   "Yep," Mikey sighed contently. He held up his slice f pizza. "To our triumphant battle against The Shredder!"

   Those with pizza slices followed his lead, with a chorus of, "Our triumphant battle!"

()()()()

   Donny's wounds were beginning to heal already the next day, and Raph seemed to be improving greatly. His fever was gone, and all that remained was the occasional cough and lose of appetite. Everyone who fought yesterday was back to full strength, and their happy moods felt good. Their party the previous night included some music from Mikey's old collection, more pizza, and a happy atmosphere. Today, everyone woke a little later. April and Casey had returned to April's apartment last night, but Prida had remained in the sewers. Everyone was up and about now, as it was noon. There had been no practice, no meditation classes, no nothing except free time to think about what happened yesterday. Leo seemed to be reacting to his victory different to what they would have expected. He had been happy yesterday, happier than his brothers had seen him in a long time. Leo didn't need to jump up and down or shout to show he was happy, unlike Mikey. He could express it through his body movements and expression, which his brothers had come to know so well. Yet today, he seemed distant, and when asked if her _was_ happy, he replied with:

   "Yes, of course I am, the Shredder is gone. But . . ." He trailed off and turned away from Mikey to look at the sky. He and his brothers were at Prida's place, and Leo and Mikey were in the attic, which had a dusty window that looked out onto the block at the back of the house. The day was normal outside, and the sky held only fluffy white clouds which Leo stared at.

   Mikey leaned over to his brother. "But?" He asked.

   Leo sighed and shook his head. "I don't know why, Mikey, but it doesn't feel . . . _real_. Maybe I had been expecting the same kind of defeat as Raph had in mind, and maybe I'm just a bit disappointed. I'm glad he's gone, but, for us ninja, who have been trained to defeat this man . . . it just seemed a little disappointing, that's all. I mean, the location was in a _park, in broad daylight, and the main plan was just to get April back – I mean, we didn't even have Raph there with us, and, you know, this was a family thing, between all four of us . . . Ah dunno, I should be happy – and I am, really." He smiled at his brother. Mikey knew what Leo meant more than he thought, but Mikey couldn't dwell on the things that _should_ have happened in the final fight. It was over, he was happy, end of story, or so he hoped. _

   Mikey put a hand on Leo's shoulder. "I know what you mean bro, I understand. You, Perfectionist, don't surprise me that you wanted a proper fight. But it happened, and we're happy, that's what matters now, 'cause it's the future, not the past."

   Leo's eyes had wandered to the floor as his brother spoke, but as he came to an end, Leo looked up and smiled at his brother.

   "You're right, Mike, thanks."

   Mikey gave his brother's shoulder a pat, and moved towards the trapdoor ladder that led into the attic.

   "C'mon, Prida might want some more broken stuff hidden up here, let's go see."

   They moved out of the attic, climbed the stairs to the first floor of the house, and made their way downstairs to find Don and Raph lifting a fallen shelves cabinet back against the wall in one of the back rooms. The house was almost back to being clean. There was still one more room to tidy, and one of the windows that had been smashed was covered with a plastic sheet.

   "How are you going to explain the window to your sister?" Leo asked as Prida appeared from the front room and dumped a box of broken ornaments in his arms.

   Prida stopped moving about and put a hand on her hip, giving a breathless sigh. "Errr, I dunno, I'll say a bird flew into it?" She wiped her brow with the yellow dusting cloth and shrugged.

   Mikey glanced at the room in which the broken window was. "That's gotta be some bird."

   "Ugh, well, I'll say some kids were playing in the streets and accidentally threw a ball at it," she tried again.

   Mikey gave a nod. "Better."

   Prida disappeared off into the untidy room, as Donny and Raph sat down in the kitchen. Donny was pinching his forefinger, trying to get rid of a splinter, with his tongue between his lips. Raph rested his head on his fist.

   Prida called from the other room for someone to help her with a shelf, and Leo put the box down on the floor and disappeared to aid her. The shelf was long, but all they had to do was hoist it up and prop it back onto its wall stands.

   "Thanks," Prida huffed, and wiped her sweaty hands on the duster she was still carrying.

   Leo nodded and returned to the box he had out down. He picked it up and walked back towards the attic to deposit the box with the rest of the stuff. Prida came back out the room and joined Don and Raph in the kitchen, and Mikey, who saw the free moment, joined them, and leant between Raph and Donny on the kitchen table.

   "So, guys," he said, "about Leo's birthday . . ."

~

   Short for once, thanks for reviews.


	20. Best Day

Undiscovered Power

  First: I apologize for the mega, mega crap way Shredder died. Second: sorry it was late.

~

   Eleven days Later . . .

   "BLAGH!"

   Leo jumped three foot back as his brother leapt around a corner with his face pulled into a grotesque expression. Mike's face relaxed and then broke into a laugh.

   "I love scaring you Leo, you always move further back than the others," Mikey smiled. They were both stood in the lair, and Leo had been heading to the dojo as Mikey jumped out of his car door.

   Leo rolled his eyes irritably and moved past his brother into the room he had been heading for, and Mikey leapt over the back of the couch and flopped onto the cushions. Stretching for the remote that was on the far chair arm, he clicked on the old TV.

   Two people climbed down the ladder entrance into the lair, and started shedding their coats and hat.

   "That wind's rough," Donny informed no one in particular as he started to descend the steps. He didn't really expect anyone in the Lair to care about the wind.

   "You have no idea," Prida muttered as she followed him, turning her eyes to her hair that was stuck out around her face, making her seem like some modern day cave woman.

   Mikey didn't even look at them as Donny walked past him and towards his lab.

   "You too nerds hanging out at that gadget store?" he asked, eyes on the TV as he flicked through channels.

   "I'm not a nerd, I have an average intelligence," Prida said. "About the same as you."

   Mikey took his eyes off the TV and looked at her.

   "And that shop's cool," she added. "Anyway, we weren't there all this time, I smuggled Don into my house so Mai didn't notice him, so he could upgrade my computer and whatever else he did to make it better than it was. I dunno half of what he was telling me."

   Mai had returned home four days ago. Prida's explanation to the absence of many ornaments had been that she had thrown a wild party, and everyone had got a bit reckless. It was an odd story, seeing as how her sister didn't like to socialize much, but Mai had accepted it. The window story also seemed to work, though Mai asked her three times what had happened. It was only yesterday that Mai notice the dent on the front of her car; Prida had said nothing but "er" for a few seconds after her sister pointed at this, before saying she really didn't know how the car had been dinted, but perhaps the people who she invited to her house had caused it. Mai seemed to think it looked like someone had driven into something, but dropped the topic to unpack her things. And since Korey had been living with his dad, and he and Mai were married, it was planned that he would move into the sisters' house, after all, Korey had helped pay rent on it when things were going bad for Mai.

   Still, Prida had not told Mai about the turtles or Splinter.

   "Where's Hothead?" Prida asked, seating herself in the nearest armchair.

   "Out with Casey, I dunno where," Mikey answered, staring at the TV again. Raph had left in a temper earlier because of Mikey's constant 'BLAGH' attacks.

   "Okay, where's the Perfectionist?"

   "Dojo," Mike jerked his thumb towards the room.

   No sooner had he said this Leo emerged with a single katana in hand, and a special cloth he used to clean the blades in his other hand, wrapped around the thin metal.

   "Hey," both girl and turtle greeted each other.

   "Mike, afternoon practice," Leo announced, pausing his cleaning and coming to a stop behind the couch.

   "Afternoon?" His brother turned in his seat and looked at him.

   "Yeah," Leo said, "Splinter wants us to make up for the sessions we missed days back. So, dojo, as soon as Sensei gets back."

   Mikey made a face and turned back. Splinter had taken a walk in the sewers, as he does now and then. He claims it's much more peaceful in the tunnels than it is in the lair, and he enjoys walks that are further than the distances between his room and the kitchen.

   "But Raph's not here," Mikey whined. "Why should we have to do practice and he gets to miss out?"

   Leo smirked. "If he misses practice, he has to make up for it in meditation sessions. And you know how he hates mediation."

   Mikey's smirk was identical. He turned to Prida. "Raph's _really_ bad at meditating, and since Splin'ner believes it can help Raph's anger problem, he has to do extra time." He sniggered evilly, in a funny sort of way.

   As Leo turned away he said, "You're almost as bad, Mikey. Splinter can't get you to sit still long enough, so your time is extended as well." And he disappeared into the dojo with a smile on his face.

   Prida sniggered as Mikey turned his attention back to the TV. He suddenly straightened up as though the picture that had just popped onto the screen reminded him of something.

   "Oh, hey, I almost forgot," he said as he got to his feet, and walked into his room. He shuffled about for a few seconds before reappearing with an envelope. He handed it out to Prida. "Remember, just say that I got your address, and that, we – er – have no phone over in 'LA'."

   Prida took the envelope. On the front was Matt Hill's name in Mikey's untidy writing. She looked back up.

   "Sure, I bet he'll be happy to hear from you," she leant forward and tucked the letter into her back jeans pocket, wondering what it would be like to write with only two fingers.

   "Exactly what did you tell Roxanne?" Mikey asked, still stood in front of her.

   "Well, I told her that you hadn't died, and in my shock – as you would be after you'd been blown into the air – I saw wrong, and that you guys weren't killed. I just said that you were patched up before you went back home."

   Mikey inclined his head slightly in a nod, and then tilted his head, as though considering something on her head. He grinned.

   "You should do something about your hair, you look hilarious!" He laughed.

   "Grgh," Prida groaned, and attempted to comb it using her fingers. The little of it that was still tied back was as messy as the rest of it that had pulled loose.

   "Go ask Donny for a comb – he usually has everything else," Mike turned away back to the couch and sat down smiling.

   "What would he be doing with a _comb_? You don't have _hair_." Prida got up and made her way to Donny's lab anyway. She found him at his computer. But instead of asking for a comb, a question that had been nagging her for over a week went first in line.

   "Hey," he said without turning round.

   "Yeah, hey, listen, Don, can I ask you something?" She walked further in and sat on his table. He winced as some papers were crumpled. She didn't notice, her eyes were on the ceiling as she considered her question.

   "Sure, go ahead," he said a little unenthusiastically as he attempted to pull away some surrounding papers that could also get sat on if she moved further.

   "You know when we were up against Shredder," she continued, " and he threw that star thingy at you?"

   "It's called a Shruiken, a throwing star," Donny informed her. He knew what she was going to ask.

   "Yeah, one of those – well, what _happened_? I mean, you would have been . . . _dead_, but . . ." She turned her head to look at him.

   Donny put his elbow on the table and rested his chin on his knuckles. "What I think happened, was that you stopped it."

   Prida looked at him. "Riiight. I was over Shredder's shoulder, remember? Besides, I think if I caught that thing my fingers would pretty much –" she showed her hands and wiggled her fingers " – be gone."

   Don took his chin off his hand and hutched his chair forwards a bit more. "No, what I mean is – well, you know when you destroyed that artifact?" She nodded. "Well, you didn't destroy the magic – or whatever was trapped in there – and so, my theory is that it transferred itself into you instead, and you, being unaware of it, couldn't control it at times. And if I'm right then I doubt you'll be able to master it straight away."

   Prida nodded slowly, looking as though she was chewing her tongue. "Yeah, that – that sounds like a fair explanation . . . not."

   "C'mon, why did you think ShredHead wanted to trade April for you?" Don said with a quick roll of his eyes.

   "To kill me? Do his homework for him? He should have picked you for that though, I hate Math –" Prida spoke as though it were a normal topic.

   Donny raised an eye ridge.

   " . . . Fine! Okay, I believe you," she said, "but you're gonna help me control it right? I can't explain any more weird happenings to Mai."

   Don nodded more enthusiastically than a minute ago. "Sure, I'm the help guy, I'll help. I expect you can't do much with you being a kinda novice an' all, but when you do get the hang, don't do anything horrible to me."

   "Hah ha, I won't."

   From the Lair Leo's voice could be heard calling Mikey's name, and Don knew Splinter was back from his walk. He got up.

   "You might wanna brush your hair," he pointed. "It's looks a little . . . um." He bit his lip in a thoughtful way and headed to the door.

   Prida did her best by tying it back again. "Can I watch you guys practice?" She asked as she caught up with Donny. She had not seen them practice at all because they usually woke early to do it, and she was never there.

   "Sure," came the reply, and Prida followed him into the dojo. Instead of mats, there were layers of well-folded sheets on top of each other to act like mats. The weapons rack appeared to have been made by one of them.

   Splinter was slightly displeased to one of his sons away. He did, indeed, inform the other three that Raph's punishment for missing this session was an extra hour of meditation later in the evening. They had been told, as a morning greeting, that there would be an afternoon practice. Mikey was also fated with a little extra time in a later session, for jumping out at Donny and Prida and scarring the breath from them, and apparently causing the light in the dojo to blow. They were now sat in candlelight; many flickering flames were dancing either on the floor or on the shelves that help weapons. Donny glanced at a guilty Prida while Mikey sulked about his light punishment. It was not that Splinter was now handing out punishments for every little thing; he had in fact planned to increase their meditation times before his angry son had disappeared those weeks back. And in his worry he had forgotten it. He felt they were physically fit, but their minds were not mentally fit. Of course, Leonardo had the patience with meditation, as did Donatello mostly. But his other two sons were the problem he wanted to help. Michelangelo was too physically active, his energy was endless, and so he found it difficult to sit still in silence longer than ten minutes. It was very frustrating for Splinter, for he had set himself a goal, and it was to aid Michelangelo until he became as good as his older brother. However, time was everything in this case, and Splinter would have to wait. Raphael was almost the same; he could not and did not like to sit still and try to fall into the art. He found it stupid and time wasting, and overall no good to anything. He was too negative about it. Whatever the reason, these two caused Splinter frustration sometimes. Donatello was only distracted in this session when he had come across something new on his computer. But he explained to Don that if he were to become a master at meditating, he would be able to calm his mind enough to seek the answer to whatever problem easily.

   So practice began. They started with warm up exercises, and then moved on to moves. Splinter would call out the name of the action he wanted to see, and the boys would do it. Prida watched, fascinated by their quick, fluid movements. They seemed so much more like the well-behaved kids in the dojo than they did in school. Then Splinter would call them out individually and command a movement, giving words on how they should improve this and that. Even fault-less Leo's moves were not perfect. And a little surprising, none were distracted by Prida's presence. None showed off, none glanced at her, and she could sit comfortably in the bright candle glow and watch them without having eyes glancing at her for grins or expressions of praise. Damn they were trained well.

   From there in the lesson, it went on to sparing. First it was Mikey and Leo. For the first minute they only blocked attacks that were slowed down in speed, and then they began to spar properly. They did not spend too much time switching partners and playing the attacker and the blocker, to Prida's slight disappointment, before they started with weapons; after this was announced, her disappointment disappeared.

   By the end of their two-hour practice, Prida's eyebrows were raised high and she was totally impressed. The turtles were all breathing slightly hard as they wiped their foreheads and replaced their practice weapons. Splinter's face wore a smile at last as he made towards the exit, saying he will now make the tea. Prida turned back to the turtles. Donny had told her a while ago that each of them had developed their own fighting style, yet she just saw the same style from all of them.

   "Whoa, that was cool," she said as she stood up from her seat on bundle of sheets.

   "Thanks," all three replied.

   They all moved into the lair where Splinter had already set down cups of tea for them all of them on the table. He himself was just seating himself in the armchair opposite the other. Mike sat down in the other chair while his brothers and Prida sat on the couch. It was one of those days where everything now seemed normal.

   There was an audible growl from Mikey's stomach that met everyone's ears. All eyes turned to him.

   "I'm starved, who wants pizza?" He said, getting up and moving towards the phone. There was a chorus of 'me' that followed him.

   He put the phone down a minute or two later after having an argument with someone on the other end about the best pizza toppings, and then disappeared up the ladder to fetch and pay for his ordered food.

   While he was gone, a conversation struck up about school, and what they had done when they went. They recounted all the funny times, the annoying Jo Tooks, and detentions that they received.

   After fifteen minutes Mikey returned, with two others following as he descended the ladder. Casey and Raph dropped to the floor two rungs from it, and pulled their coats off.

   "Hurry up, Mike, get that pizza dished up," Casey said as he set his baseball cap on the coat hook and started walking down the steps. "I'm staving. Yo guys." He added to the others seated on the couch, and splinter.

   Mikey just sat down in the middle of everyone else seated, put the box on the table, opened it and said, "Grab what you want, everyone." He took a slice and sat back against Leo's legs.

   Everyone on the couch lent forward to grab a slice, and Case walked over and took his own steaming, cheese-dripping triangle. Raph grabbed one of the two that were left, leaving one more. He quickly greeted Prida and then stood back on his hunches to eat his 'dinner'.

   "Guess what, Raph?" Mikey suddenly said cheerfully. He ate the last of his crust. "You missed practice this afternoon."

   Raph's shoulder's fell and his eyes wandered upwards. "Ah Hell," he cursed. He knew what missing practice was, another hour of meditation.

   Casey guffawed meanly and scoffed his last bite. He dusted his hands of grease and said, "Have fun meditating, see you guys later." He turned and jogged back to his hanging coat, pulled it on, grabbed his hat and with another goodbye, disappeared up the ladder.

   Mikey was now holding the box containing the last slice of pizza to Splinter. "Sure you won't be tempted by the best food ever made?" He asked.

   "You eat that, my son," Splinter said, looking at the greasy pizza.

   Their attention soon turned to the TV, but there wasn't much on, and April was making no report today. After a few minutes Donny announced he was returning to his computer, and walked into his 'second' room. Mikey, finally tired of daytime TV, got up and walked over to the TV, crouching down next to it where there were videos lined up on either side of the TV stand. He lay down on his plastron and started 'um'ing' at the choices of movies. There weren't many, but he finally pulled an Arnold Schwarzernegger movie from the line and popped it into the VCR. No one complained he had chosen it, they just watched. Even Splinter's eyes were on the TV, but after ten minutes into the movie he decided he was not interested in the rest, and so informed them that he would be taking another walk in the sewers until the movie had finished.

   They soon got bored with the movie, however. Leo stood and said he was going to practice more katas in the dojo, big surprise to everyone, and Mikey, who had lost complete interest in the movie told them he wanted to take a walk topside, and geared himself up halfway through the movie. This left Raph staring bored-like at the TV, and Prida itching to go and watch Leo practice. She had guessed Mikey was going to go and stare at the school building. He had been talking a lot about how he really enjoyed his time at High School, and how hard it was for him to just leave his friends. He even missed being a quad, and having kids and teachers think he was Raph or Leo. Of course he couldn't have been mistaken for Donny, who had suddenly been made known throughout the school as one of the brainiest guys in the grade. They sure wouldn't be forgotten any time soon at that place.  She often thought, _wow, the first people I make best friends with and they are guys, who turn out to be ninja-trained turtles._

   Raph, who was now thoroughly bored with The Terminator, grabbed the remote and checked out the TV channels, saying, "Boring, boring," as he flicked through each one.

   "Will Leo let me watch him do his Katters?" Prida asked Raph.

   "Well he won't say 'no' to someone he can show off in front of."

   Prida stood up and walked over to the dojo door as Raph continued to flick through channels. She hovered about the door and watched as Leo practiced solo in the very dim candlelight. He had only re-lit two on the floor. She was surprised to hear him very softly singing, which stopped as he performed a quick movement, and continued as he stepped about in slow motion.Prida folded her arms and leant on the doorframe.

   The quiet rustle of her clothes made Leo stop and look around at the door.

   "Don't stop, carry on," She grinned. She tilted her head. "You sing good, better than you dance anyway."

   "I didn't think my dancing was that bad," Leo said, grabbing a small sheet from the pile next to the wall and wiping his face. "After all, I was dancing on five-toed feet with no weight on my back, so my balance was pretty good." He folded his arms and smiled.

   "Yeah, okay, I'll give you credit for dancing well in a totally different body."

   "Thanks."

   Raph was still flicking channels, with his head resting on his closed fist when they both walked back into the lair.

   At that minute April appeared at the ladder, and halfway down she called out, "Hi guys." She let go four rungs from the floor, straightened her jacket and trotted down the stairs as everyone in the lair looked up and greeted back. "I think I saw Mikey near the park," she told them, and Leo, who had been making a drink, handed her something he had just made for himself. She thanked him and sat down on the couch next to Prida as Leo went about making another drink.

   "Would you just pick a channel and watch it," Leo called irritably at his brother. The flickering light from the TV picked up pace as the channels zoomed by faster.

   They all remained sat around the flickering TV for a half hour before Leo announced he needed fresh air for once that day, and Donny walked in suggesting they go see a movie. Everyone was in for it, but they decided they should attempt to find Mikey first. Unfortunately Raph was held back by Splinter for his meditation, so Leo, Don and April pulled on coats and hats, said goodbye to Prida who wanted to watch this meditation session, and climbed the ladder.

   It was dark outside, and cloudy, and the air was a little cool, but it was incredibly windy. Their first stop off to look for Mikey was straight to the pizzeria. As they reached the door, Mikey rounded the corner and spotted them.

   "We would have thought you'd already be in there," Leo said, motioning with his head to the shop. "Where you been?"

   Mikey, hands in pockets, shrugged. "Just walking around." He had in fact been through a little adventure in school involving a dark building and a ticked off janitor.

   "Oh, okay, we're gonna go see a movie, wanna come?" Leo asked.

   If Mikey said no to a movie, there would be something to worry about, so all four continued on past the pizzeria and to the cinema. They paid at the ticket booth for something they all agreed to watch, and grabbed their food.

   "Damn, look at my hair," April moaned silently, trying to pat it down as they took their seats.

   Mikey sniggered. "Is it women's bad hair day today?"

   "It would be turtles bad hair day if you had any," April retorted with a smile.

   The movie was beginning to start now, but Mikey got up and set his popcorn bag down.

   "Where are you going?" Leo asked quietly, looking up at him as he shuffled past him.

   "More popcorn, my bag's nearly empty." Mikey replied.

()()()()

   It was an enjoyable movie, mainly because who should they happen to see a row before them but the teacher Mr. Reily. April spent a quarter of the movie hissing with a grin for them to stop throwing popcorn at the man's back. But the teens were having too much fun giggling, laughing and snorting as they threw each kernel with precise aim, landing the popcorn down the man's back and between the chair. April shook her head and was ready to duck in case he turned around. He surely must feel a bump, or two – make it fifty – on his back. But no. Not until the end of the movie when everyone stood did he cause a small avalanche onto the seat on his chair from the tons of kernels that he had been sat against. He furiously scanned the rows up and down behind him as the turtles and April rushed out, hands to mouths, in an attempt to contain their laughter.

   Once in the cold air, they burst out laughing, while people from the finishing films looked at them as they passed. Donny's hat fell off as he bent over laughing, but luckily no one saw. He reached down to pick it up quickly, but the fierce wind decided to blow and his hat flew away. His brothers and April were right behind him trying to catch the run-a-way hat, and finally it was pinned against a building wall by the wind. Donny picked it up and replaced it on his head, and turned to the other three. They stared at each other for a second before laughing once again at how silly they must have looked with all four of them chasing after a hat.

    By the time they had got back to the lair they were still in a silly mood. It seemed any little funny thing made them laugh again. They climbed into the lair with grins on their faces, and as April's foot slipped on the last rung, they all laughed yet again.

   "I so wish I still went back to school so I could ask Reily what he did tonight," Mikey said as he flopped on the couch, stuffed from the popcorn and candy they had eaten in the cinema. "And then if he answers the cinema I'd ask him if he likes popcorn." He sniggered.

   April fell into the seat next to him while Donny walked over and looked into the dojo.

   Splinter, who was kneeled on the floor in front of Raph and Prida, smiled at his son's appearance. He carried on speaking, explaining meditation to Prida who looked like a female, human Leonardo, sat straight and listening to every word in silence. Raph was slouched in a cross-legged position with his head on his fist looking extremely bored.

   Mikey came up behind Donny. "Hey, had a good meditation session, Raph?"

   Raph turned his eyes to his brother. "We haven't started yet," he grumbled.

   "Ah, Michelangelo," Splinter smiled. "You may join us now."

   Mikey let go of the doorframe and stopped grinning. "Huh?"

   "I believe I extended your own meditation session," Splinter spoke with a small smile.

   Donny laughed at Mikey's side as his shoulders fell and he groaned, "awwhh…"

   A half-hour later Mike reappeared from the dojo and joined Leo, Don and April sat around the TV. Donny had Mikey's gameboy in hand, or at least half of it, and was poking a screwdriver at the back. Another half hour later Raph emerged from the dojo looking disgruntled. He was followed a few seconds after by Splinter and Prida, ho as frowning; obviously trying to make sense of something Splinter explained to her which she still didn't understand.

   A few minutes after everyone had settled down April looked at her watch. "Well, I better be going, I got some paperwork do to, a draft for my next report." She stood.

   There was a pause in the room in which a few eyes flickered to each other.

   Leo stood up too. "It's kinda dark out, Ape, want me to walk with you?"

   April smiled. "Sure, I wouldn't wanna be mugged for a _third_ time."

   The turtles smiled at each other. Leo pulled on his coat and hat, and a pair of sneakers that he used for school, and then he and April disappeared up the ladder.

   By now it was very dark, and the wind had calmed down. When the pair had walked a few blocks, April suddenly stopped.

   "Oh damn, I left my purse in the lair," she smiled apologetically.

   "That's okay, we can go back for it," Leo shrugged. He dug his hands even further into his coat pockets as they turned and headed back.

   They climbed into a manhole as April went on about how she wasn't usually forgetful. The Donny alarm trip wire that they usually managed to avoid caught April's foot and she tripped.

   "Oops," she said airily, and smiled. "Forgot about that wire – " she waited for him to step over it and carried on walking, behind him.

   "Hope Don's not worrying about intruders," Leo said, "Don't want him attacking us."

   April grinned behind him.

   As they rounded the last tunnel that led to the hole and the ladder, April said, "I think I left it by the couch, I hope Mike hasn't found it."

   Leo smiled as he turned and lowered his leg onto the first rung. "Nah, I doubt he'd steal _you're_ money –" he started to descend as April followed " – but if he found ours . . ."

   Leo dropped the last three rungs, and as his feet hit the floor, there was a suddenly explosion of voices.

   "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

   Leo jumped and nearly landed on April.

   Mikey, who had been only a few feet away, had been hiding to the right in one of the doors. He grinned.

   "I think that was your best jump yet," Mikey said.

   At the foot of the steps stood Splinter, Don, Raph, Casey and Prida, all grinning. Raph folded his arms.

   "Mikey wanted to make you jump so he had us shout Happy Birthday," he said with a rare smile.

   Leo, who still hadn't moved, raised his eye ridges. " . . . Oh?"

   April laughed and, placing her hands on his shoulders, guided him down the stairs, where he saw there was a small banner strung up on the train saying 'Happy Birthday Leo!'

   "Mikey bought a cake the other day, and hid it in his room," Donny said, "'cause we knew you don't go in there much . . . I'm not entirely sure it's still edible now –"

   "Donny!" Mikey said, "the cake's fine." And he pointed to the small table in the middle of the circle of furniture. There was a blue cake.

   "Candles," Leo saw, raising his eye ridges again.

   "Mikey idea," Raph said, glancing at his brother.

   "Hey – I just wanted Leo to have a good birthday," Mikey defended himself. "Candles are fun." He glanced at the TV, on which stood a few larger candles they used for meditation. "Well, birthday candles are."

   Casey clapped his hands together, receiving everyone's looks. "Alright – so where's the alcohol?" April slapped him.

   Leo's brothers always put their money together to get him a gift, and gave it to him from all three and Splinter, so he always got one gift, and was always thankful. He really didn't expect anything else, so seeing the set of dumbbells plus a stand in the dojo made his mouth drop.

   "Korey used to use these, but he wanted to get rid of them," Prida explained as the group watched Leo's expression. "Didn't think you guys'd have the money to buy anything like this, so I asked Korey if I could have it – he looked a bit surprised, but, now it's yours." She smiled

   Behind Raph bunched his fists. "Yes!" He whispered, staring at the dumbbells. Donny turned his head and gave him a funny look.

   "Whoa, Prida – thanks," Leo said, amazed he had received such a gift for his birthday.

   They never really did much on their birthdays, except probably a day in the park together, something they hardly did. This day, however, they spent inside just laughing, watching the Jackie Chan movie Leo's brothers had bought for him, eating, and generally having fun. April, not knowing what a teenage mutant would want, especially a Leonardo mutant, had bought him a book on the history of swords; plus she had paid for him and his brother's cinema tickets. Leo didn't know what to say except thanks. They seemed to understand, and went back to the movie.

   "Oh, hey, guess what I smuggled out of the cinema," Mikey suddenly said, coming to sit on the couch armchair next to Leo. He held up a large box of popcorn, and he, Leo, Donny and April burst out laughing.

   "What's so funny?" Raph asked, the only turtle who wasn't snorting.

   "We saw Reily in the cinema," Mikey grinned. "We kept flicking bits of – popcorn at him –" he laughed, and then threw a handful of kernels into his mouth.

   Raph grabbed a handful. "Like this?" And he threw the lot at his brother.

   Mikey paused for a second, before he nodded. "Exactly like that!" Then suddenly popcorn was flying as the two tried beating each other up with kernels.

   Leo and Donny, sat on the couch and looking identical with their arms folded and the same expression, looked at each other, and joined in the fight.

   After a few seconds Mikey raised the box and held a 'stop' hand signal out. "Whoa – whoa! I wanna eat the rest."

   So instead of flying popcorn, April, Casey, Splinter and Prida had to listen to four sets of teeth crunching with their mouths open while they all watched the rest of the film. Well past ten O'Clock, Mikey said, "So, how about a song present for the birthday guy?" He asked Prida.

   "What?" She asked.

   "You – sing. C'mon, me and Donny used to when it was Leo or Raph's birthday."

   "What?" She repeated. "I can't sing – I'm as bad as everyone else."

   Mikey frowned. "But we heard you sing that song at school –"

   "Oh – I grew up with that song," she said rolling her eyes. "I've known it since I was eight. It's the _only_ song I can sing."

   Mikey looked a little blank-faced. "Oh, okay," he said slowly, and turned to Leo. "Looks like you're our best singer here then after all. Sing Birthday boy."

   "Yeah right," Leo snorted. "It ain't gonna happen."

   There was a silence in which everyone smiled contently, and eyes were on the TV. April and Casey were both sat in the armchair Raph dubbed his, and Splinter was in his own.

   After the first movie had finished, the sequel was placed in the VCR, and Mikey got up to make some munchies. A minute later Don was supplied with his 'Don-Don' bowl with potato chips, and Mikey had moved from his seat next to Leo to next to Donny after he had grabbed some candy from the kitchen. The lights had been turned off, the TV volume turned up, and everyone as silent as they watched the movie.

   Prida, who had been sat next to Mikey, hutched towards Leo, leaned closer to him and asked in a whisper, "So whose birthday is it next?"

   Leo, eyes still on the TV, smiled and inclined his head to her. "Donny and Raph's."

   Prida stared. "Twins?"

   "Yep," Leo smiled. "Mikey's is two days after theirs."

   When's theirs?" Prida glanced behind her at Raph who was leaning against Splinter's chair, and then at Don, on the other side of Leo.

   "In five days."

   "Oh, that is gonna be fun."

   "Oh yeah."

   They both grinned, and returned their eyes to the TV as Donny gave a look at Leo's grin, which he wiped and gave his brother an innocent look. His grin was back a second later.

**The End**

~

   Yes, it's finished. Right, before y'all go telling me about ages and stuff, in a discussion at the technodrome forums people were discussing the ages by their zodiac signs and personalities. Some said that Don was the second youngest, some said Raph was. I've ALWAYS thought Raph was second youngest (I have no idea why, but it stuck, okay), so for argument's sakes (pft, yeah) I just added them the exact same age – before you go taking it seriously, it's in MY fic, so it apply in THIS story universe what-have-ya, so don't tell me that the ages are wrong coz no one knows. If you want, use that idea too, but it's just in this fic guys, nothing official like. Quite a surprise ending to the story though ;)

Hope you liked this story, I'm glad I finished it, again sorry for how late this chapter came, and **thank you all** for the reviews, very much appreciated. ;D


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